Symbiotic
by ishandahalf
Summary: Take a volatile agreement between Rogue and Carol Danvers, mix in a spicy Cajun, stir up romantic misunderstandings, and let it simmer. As if love triangles weren't difficult enough, what if there are three people but two bodies? IT'S OVER! ROMY!
1. Reprieve

**Disclaimer:** Do I look like a multi-million dollar corporation to you? Wait, really? I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted… But the point is, Marvel owns the X-Men and I don't.

**A/N:** Hey there! Remember back when I posted "The Bra Whisperer", and I mentioned that "Symbiotic" might be posted soon? Well, this is that fic, and needless to say, I lied. Well, depending on your definition of soon, I suppose, but I doubt that most would consider a month as quick. It honestly was worked on, but then hated. It endured frustration, it was ignored, and finally it was neglected for the evil that is midterm exams.

But then! It was resurrected and given another chance. The first chapter was completely rewritten, and the old first chapter has now become the second. It was tweaked. It was edited. It suffered some more abuse. An author's note was eventually added. So at last, after all the horror, something has finally managed to be posted.

And here it is, full of bizarre love triangles and soap opera-esque drama. Enjoy!

* * *

**Symbiotic**: _Adjective_, resembling or relating to symbiosis – a close, prolonged, association between two dissimilar beings. The term is usually restricted to a dependent relationship that is beneficial to both participants, but may be extended to include parasitism, in which the parasite depends upon and is injurious to its host. See: _Rogue and Carol Danvers_.

**Chapter 1 – Reprieve **

**_January 2005_**

He knew from the second he crossed the threshold of the club that there were Assassins hiding in the shadowed corners, although he didn't let on that he had noticed them. They were always foolishly overconfident, and thinking that they could hide their presence from Remy LeBeau was a prime example of their arrogance. The young thief instinctively scanned every room he entered, and tonight had been no exception. He had noticed Julien Boudreaux sitting at the furthest table, but he entered the nightclub anyway – the other man obviously wanted something, and Remy wanted some fun, so he decided to see where this would lead.

Walking over to the bar, he signalled for his usual shot of bourbon. Remy squeezed in between two scantily clad women as he grabbed the glass, shooting them a charming grin before downing the liquor. His usual routine would have included chatting them up and suggesting they head someplace quieter to "talk", but this evening would not prove so fruitful – at least not with the Assassins watching him.

Gambit knew that Julien hated him and wished him dead, but he wasn't about to give the man a reason for following through on his desires – so he forced himself away from the lovely ladies and towards the pool table. It was already occupied, but one look at the figure striding towards them caused the players to put down their cues and disperse. They knew that nobody got in the way of _Le Diable Blanc _(the White Devil).

Picking up a stick and walking around the table, Remy didn't even have a chance to take a shot before he sensed a small crowd come up behind him. He knew it was Julien and his cronies, and he was all set to ignore them, but then the other man swung a long wooden pool cue at his head.

The thief darted out of the way just in time, feeling the air rush by his ear as the cue arched down and hit the table. He watched two balls be hit, sending them rolling around the table, pushing the rest into the pockets. Turning to gaze at the tall blonde man he considered his rival, he coolly quipped, "Nice shot."

The Assassin glared, his blue eyes darkening and tightening his grip on the stick so that his knuckles turned white. "What are y' doin' here, LeBeau?" he asked venomously.

"Tryin' t' play a game o' pool. Dat a crime now?" Remy retorted, his eyes never leaving Julien's while managing to detect the four other men moving to surround him.

"Don' give me dat crap – 'm t'inkin' y' came here t' play wit' a diff'rent set o' balls," he sneered. "Saw de way dose _femmes_ (women) looked at y', but mo' importantly, de way y' looked at dem."

Gambit smirked. "S'matter, y' jealous?"

"Dis ain't about me," Julien stated, not rising to the bait. "Dis be about y'. What, y' gettin' in some last minute fun in befo' de weddin'?"

Remy smiled. Of course, the wedding – what else would this be about? "Y' still pissed 'bout dat, _homme_ (man)? Dere's not'in' we can do 'bout dat now." 'Even as much as I want t',' he added on silently.

"See, 'm not acceptin' dat," the Assassin stated, a determined glint appearing in his eyes. "De rest o' de Guilds may not see what a _fou_ (crazy) idea dis is, but I do, an' 'm not lettin' _ma soeur_ (my sister) marry some piece o' gutter-trash!"

With that declared, he once again thrust the pool cue towards Remy, aiming it straight into his chest. A split-second before it would have impaled him, the thief whipped out his bo staff, extended it and watched the wooden stick shatter on the metal rod. Two men behind him attempted to grab his arms and restrain him, but Gambit was quicker, turning and twirling the staff into their heads, sending them crashing to the floor. Another lackey ran at him from behind, but Remy aimed a swift kick at his stomach, sending him flying back into some chairs.

By now Julien had extracted his own staff and swiped it towards Remy's torso, but he rolled onto the pool table and over to the opposite side. "What are y' doin', Boudreaux?" he shouted in confusion. "Dis ain't helpin' matters!"

"_Non_?" the Assassin mocked. "'M t'inkin' dat a fight b'tween us is just what de elders need t' see dat a peace treaty won' work – an' me gettin' t' maim y' is just an added bonus."

"Y' _couillon_ (idiot), we've got no reason t' fight!" a frustrated Remy yelled over the clamour of the crowd running away from the brawl. Didn't the man know that Remy wanted an end to the engagement almost as much as he did?

"An' why not?" he asked, slowly circling around the table.

Remy opened his mouth to explain, but then abruptly shut it. What could he say? That he didn't love Belladonna, that he didn't wish to spend the rest of his life with her? Her brother would certainly not take that news well, thinking that the lowly mutant had been using her, or that he thought himself too good for her… Neither would prompt a good reaction – he was caught between an Assassin and a hard place. "_Merde_ (shit)," he sighed, and prepared to defend himself as another man launched himself at the thief.

Using the attacker's own momentum against him, Gambit flipped him over and tossed him into the bar stools. He then turned around just in time to block Julien's bo staff from denting his head. The two men made their way around the pool table, parrying and lunging at an astounding speed, the metal rods reverberating with a staccato beat as they clashed against each other.

One of the other men picked himself off the floor and began to climb over the table to pounce on Remy, but the thief anticipated the movements. Strongly shoving Julien back a few steps, Gambit pulled out the King of Hearts from his pocket, charged it, and aimed it at the chain suspending a lamp above the table. It broke, bringing the lamp crashing down on the Assassin, pinning him in place among shards of shattered glass.

Julien managed to take advantage of his opponent's few seconds of distraction, and when Remy spun to face him once more, the auburn-haired man met the barrel of a gun. "I should just end dis right now," he snarled, aiming the weapon straight between his enemy's red-on-black demon eyes.

"Don' t'ink y' wanna do dat," Remy cautioned, compacting his bo staff and placing his hands non-threateningly in the air.

"Oh, believe me, I do. Been wantin' rid o' y' f'r a long time, Gambit."

"T'ink about dis! T'ings are tentative b'tween de Guilds now, an' dis'll send 'em int' war!" the thief attempted to reason with him, hating that he sounded as if he were begging.

Julien shrugged, chuckling quietly. "Dere be lots o' places I can shoot y' wit'out killin' y'. Lots o' painful places dat'll stick y' in bed f'r weeks, postponin' de weddin' 'til I can figure out what t' do wit' a piece o' mutie scum…"

Remy's unique eyes narrowed in anger – he had had enough of this. Seemingly dropping his arms to his side in defeat, he tossed his bo staff towards Julien, letting it roll towards his feet. A small part of him hoped that the man would glance away from him long enough to give Remy a chance to toss some cards, but Julien was a trained Assassin – he knew better than to take his eyes off his target, which was exactly why he didn't notice that the staff had been glowing.

A second later the charged object hit his shoe and let off a small explosion, startling him. At that instant, Gambit plucked his cards from his trench coat with the speed of an expert pickpocket. Powering them up, he let the Queen of Spades take off at Julien's hand, knocking the gun away and onto the floor. A Jack of Spades followed suit, soaring at the man's shoulders, knocking him back a few paces. Logically, Remy knew he should have stopped there, by now having secured a safe exit from the situation, but his rage still had a solid hold on him. Weaving the Ace of Spades through his fingers, he watched as it blazed a bright red and then threw it towards his chest.

It made contact with a loud bang, accentuated by Julien's scream of pain. The Assassin hit the ground with a thud, letting Remy see the burns covering his body and the blood leaking from them.

- X -

"I honestly can't believe y' did dat!" Jean-Luc roared furiously as he paced his study. "I t'ought y' had more sense den dat!"

"How many times do I got t' tell y', it was an accident!" Remy cried back from where he stood in front of his father's desk, nervously shuffling his cards. "I was mad, I didn' mean t' charge de card dat much!"

"Y're just lucky dat Julien's injuries weren't fatal, or I don' know what we'd do!" the Guild patriarch continued as if he hadn't heard his son's protests. "De elders, dey're not happy 'bout dis, I barely managed t' make 'em agree wit' my plan…"

"Plan? What plan?" The younger thief stood up straighter, suddenly more interested in what was transpiring before him. "Is de weddin' off?"

Jean-Luc shook his head, a sad smile gracing his lips. "Y're not dat lucky, _mon fils_ (my son). De bride-t'-be is one hell o' a stubborn _fille_ (girl), in case y' hadn't noticed."

"What do y' mean?" Remy asked, dropping dejectedly into a leather chair. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear what she had done, if it meant his arranged nuptials would still be proceeding according to schedule.

"She was consulted by de councils o' both Guilds at de meetin' dis mornin'," the elder LeBeau sighed, leaning against his mahogany desk. "Was asked if she still wanted t' go ahead wit' de marriage, on account o' it was her fiancé dat almost killed her _frère_ (brother)."

"Lemme guess," Remy groaned, burying his face in his hands. "She still wants t' go t'rough wit' it."

"Dat she does. She said dat she knows it must've been an accident, an' since Julien's gonna be fine, dere's no reason why everyt'in' still can't go on as planned. She really loves y'," Jean-Luc wryly laughed.

"Great," Gambit mumbled, wishing he could say the same – but he couldn't. As fun and as beautiful as the girl was, all he could think about was the end to his freedom, about being tied down for the rest of his life at the ripe young age of 19. And it _would_ be for the rest of his life… He knew perfectly well that if he cheated on her, or even went about perfectly lawful methods such as getting a divorce, then he would be killed – if for some miraculous reason not by his own wife (who would probably jump at the job after being rejected like that), then by a member of her Guild.

Jean-Luc knew this as well as his son did, which was why he continued. "Y' still haven't heard my plan."

Remy snorted. "Well, considerin' how y' helped plan dis engagement, excuse me if I don' have a lot o' faith in what y're goin' t' say."

"Well, it's good news. T'ink y'll enjoy dis."

"_Quoi_? (What?)" he questioned apprehensively.

"Managed t' convince de elders dat y' don' have full control over yo' powers."

"_Quoi_!" Remy repeated, snapping his head up to stare in perplexity at his father. "But I do!"

"I know dat," Jean-Luc waved off. "But de ot'ers don't."

"Meanin'…?"

"Meanin' dat de Guilds don' want any incidents like last night t' happen again, and dey're insistin' y' get trainin'. An' I just happen t' have an acquaintance in New York dat can help y'."

"So what, y're just sendin' me away?" the thief frowned.

"_Non_, 'm offerin' y' a reprieve."

Remy blinked, and let the news sink in. He was being given a stay of execution, and only scant weeks before his Valentine's Day wedding? He could scarcely believe his good fortune, especially since it stemmed from an attempt on his life. He already knew what his answer would be (it wasn't as if he really had much of a choice), but he suddenly couldn't quell the curiosity rising up in him.

Despite knowing not to look a gift horse in the mouth, the younger Cajun asked, "Why?"

"Why what?" his father wondered.

"Why are y' helpin' me like dis? Y' didn't seem t' care befo', when y' an' Marius were arrangin' all dis… So why now? Y' sendin' me off t' sow my wild oats befo' draggin' me back an' down de aisle?"

"I've always cared, Remy," Jean-Luc frowned sadly, disappointed at the suspicions from his boy. "But I had t' do what was best f'r de Guilds. Wasn't fond of havin' t' put y' in de middle o' it all, but it had t' be done. Now I've got a chance t' do somet'in' f'r y', somet'in' t' try an' make up f'r it, and I want t' do so. 'M goin' t' try an' work out anot'er deal while y're gone, an' I don' know if I can, but de least I can do is postpone it all f'r y'."

"Y're right, it is de least y' can do," Remy mumbled bitterly.

"Remy…" his father intoned warningly.

He sighed, and took note of the light dusting of grey hairs around the man's temples. He wondered how many of them were caused by his innumerable reckless actions over the years. "Y're right, 'm sorry. …I do appreciate dis."

"'M glad. I'll call an' make de arrangements, but de council wants t' see y' 'bout dis first. I'd suggest actin' petulant, like y' usually do."

"Petulant? _Moi_? (Me?)" Remy grinned innocently.

"Just do it," the Guild leader told him exasperatedly. "Y' know as well as I do dat if y're too eager about dis, dey'll be suspicious. An' mebbe even 'accidentally' blow a few t'ings up, just t' make de story look good."

"_Pas de problème_ (Not a problem)," he agreed, getting up from his seat and heading towards the door. Before he reached for the handle, however, he turned around to look at Jean-Luc. "_Père_? (father?) …_Merci_ (thank you)."

- X -

**_1 week later…_**

When Remy's nimble fingers finished securing his duffel bag to the back of his motorcycle, he decided that he was all set to head off. His last assigned heists had all been completed, his things had been packed, his goodbyes had been said, and he was more than ready to drive out of New Orleans and leave the crazy business of weddings behind – if only for now.

He took a last look at the Thieves' estate in all its opulence, at the manor that had been his home for so many years… However, it was no time to be getting sentimental. He grabbed his helmet, but just as he was about to swing his leg over the bike, he noticed a petite blonde woman walking up the driveway towards him. He internally groaned. He had already said his goodbyes to her, and he had barely made it through her tears and endless professions of love and devotion – was he fated to go through that all again?

"Belle, what are y' doin' here?" he kindly asked when she came closer, opening his arms to her as she buried herself into his chest. "We already said our adieus, y' don't need t' put yo'self t'rough de pain o' seein' me leave."

"I just wanted t' see y' one last time," she sniffled, tears beginning to run down her beautiful face from her bright blue eyes. "I just can't believe dis is happenin'… An' only weeks befo' our weddin'! It's not fair!"

"I know it's not," he lied, in reality thinking of how extremely blessed he was. "But it's what de Guilds want."

"But it's not what _we _want!" she cried, tightly clutching the lapels of his trench coat in her fists. "Why don' y' refuse de Guilds? Why don' we get married first, an' den y' can get mo' trainin'? Mebbe I can even go wit' y'!"

Remy shuddered at the thought, and quickly attempted to purge the thought from her head. "Oh, _ma belle_ (my beautiful), we been over dis. Y' know it's f'r de best. Besides, dis is somet'in' I have t' do – I couldn' stand it if I hurt y'..."

She nodded sadly, accepting his sweet words as the truth, and he silently thanked his lucky stars that she was so easy to win over with a few romantic sentiments. "_Je comprends_ (I understand)… But dat won' stop me from missin' y'."

"I know, Belle, I know. But don' worry, I'll be back," he consoled her, but not daring to give her any indication of how long that might take.

"Okay," she whimpered, then pulling away and trying to put on a brave front. "Take care o' yo'self, Remy. An' remember, _je t'aime_ (I love you)," she told him, leaning up to plant a lingering kiss on his mouth.

The thief caressed her soft lips with his own as the kiss brought back memories of the intimacy that they had shared. Perhaps he would miss parts of her… But such further thoughts were forcefully shoved from his mind as her words sunk in, and he remembered that he couldn't reciprocate.

"Me too, Belle, me too." Without another word, he then squeezed her hands, tugged on his helmet, started his bike, and sped off. As he left a crying Belladonna behind him, Gambit couldn't help the relieved smile that spread across his face. Perhaps it was only temporary, and perhaps he was simply taunting himself with something that would eventually be taken from him once more, but all Remy LeBeau could think of was that freedom certainly felt wonderful.

* * *

Did you all catch that? "A Jack of Spades followed suit"? Oh, I'm so punny! ;-) Anyhoo._ Bon voyage_, Remy! Have a safe trip!

**Next chapter** – Remy arrives at his destination and meets a certain someone…

So. Ya want more? Do ya? Huh, do ya really? Prove it – review! Although it might take a bit of time before the next chapter is up, what with me being swamped with school work. I think I spoiled you all before, updating too quickly… ;-)

Toodles,

- ish -


	2. Sanctuary

**Disclaimer:** Your memory can't be _that_ bad… I still don't own the X-Men.

**A/N:** Glad to know my loyal ishandahalfarianites haven't forgotten me! It's been a while since my last full-fledged fic, as I've been churning out some one-shots – it's so odd to finally be continuing something, but I'm so excited about this puppy! It's been churning about in my mind for almost a year now, it's great to finally write it out.

Rogue14, heartsyhawk, wildcardrose, TotallyRiddickObsessed, Riderazzo, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, dana, TheRealMai, grenwich, Ms.Rogue LeBeau, Quing, xX-BlAzE-Xx, Crunchie Lettuce, demiducky25, Freak87, darkstorm5000, & enchantedlight – Thanks for your reviews! Nice to see some familiar names, and some new ones too. Hope y'all stick around, there's much fun to be had!

EmeraldKatsEye, Calliann, & EE's Skysong: Ahh, all members of the "Die Belle" club, are we? Gosh, why would you assume that I'd kill her off? Just cuz I did it once before… She's not _that_ bad, adding fun conflict to the story, and don't you all feel slightly bad for her? …Kidding, _kidding_! Believe me, I can't blame you for wanting her dead – I always do, but I don't know what her fate will be in this fic just yet.

A.M.bookworm247: Temptation? Extravagance? Gosh, such flattery, you're making me blush! As for a sadistic, bitchy Belle, well, she hasn't had much reason to be so yet. The key word being _yet_ – she'll get there.

missy42: ishyfikie? That looks like the name of some sort of anime or something… As for Belle not dieing, I agree – watching her suffer is much more fun! Bwa ha ha.

Goddess Evie: 27 is the best number… Or am I just saying that for your benefit? ;-) I agree that Belle was rather weepy – we'll be seeing some character progression the next time she pops up, although that won't be for a while. Yup, tossing the fiancée into an already uber-dramatic love triangle, I'm so devious!

Eileen Blazer: A jealous, infatuated Julien, eh? Interesting… Great, now you're giving me distracting ideas! Ominous organ? Funny. Reminds me of the time I had an epiphany and heard a harp in the background – very creepy, that. Seriously. Glad you're all jittery and hyperactive – now you know how I feel! Not only when I get caffeinated, but also when I'm waiting for _your_ updates, hint hint! ;-)

A Denial: Too much pressure! Can't breathe… Need oxygen! _– passes out –_ Great, now you've done it – hope you're happy! ;-)

Seven Sunningdale: A brand name? How spiffy – I want a bobble-head! I didn't like the way the cartoon portrayed Jean-Luc – I always thought he was a lot more caring and fatherly in the comics (or at least, that's how I envisioned him), so that's how I wanted to write him. I've always been a sucker for the Guild characters…

SweetRevenge151: I informed you of this fic months ago, didn't I? Gosh, how twitchy you must have been! Sorry it took so long. Thanks for the Moz article – I informed my mother of the musical since she's become a fan ever since we took her to the show with us last October, so she's actually looking into a London vacation this summer! So cross your fingers, maybe I'll be able to see it…

Neurotic Temptress: The P card? Oh, you _wouldn't_! Wait, of course you would… You're cruel, but are you sure it would be effective? What if my horror is so great that it shocks my vocabulary into submission? And _then_ where would you be? And yeah, I know you've been waiting for this for a long time – perhaps as long as I've been waiting for _your _stuff, eh? ;-)

Aro: Bugs Bunny voice? Yeah, I think it's just you. I always preferred Elmer Fudd. ;-)

Here we go, what you've all been waiting for… Enter Rogue, stage left!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 2 – Sanctuary**

**_February 2005_**

An engine roared as it propelled spinning wheels along once black asphalt, now stained white from winter's salt. A speeding motorcycle flew down the road towards the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters – towards something new. A new month had just started, and Remy appreciated the timing – because with it came new beginnings and better circumstances.

High-speed winds bit at the young man's face as he drove, his brown trench coat billowing out behind him. It provided little warmth in the cold northern winter, but he didn't care. The snow and ice prompted a pang of remembrance for New Orleans' humidity and sunshine, but he couldn't bring himself to wish he were back there – not when New York was his reprieve.

The vehicle screeched to a stop in front of the Institute's looming wrought iron gates. As he always did whenever faced with a fence or wall, Remy quickly estimated how long it would take for him to make it over the barrier – he simply couldn't fight the thieving instincts engrained in him. They didn't matter in this case, however. No, there would be no need to sneak on to this estate – it was his sanctuary, not a target.

Dismounting his precious bike, Remy sauntered up to the intercom inlayed in the brick. He pushed the button, listened to the buzz, and waited for an answer.

"Hello?" crackled a woman's voice from the box. "May I help you?"

"_Bonjour_ (hello)," he greeted her politely, unconsciously laying on the charm even without face-to-face interaction. "De name's Remy LeBeau…"

"Oh yes, your father contacted me. We've been expecting you," came the reply. "Please, come in."

A second later the gates swung open, granting him access. Remy sat on his bike once more and started up the driveway. He took in the view of the lavish mansion in front of him and whistled, impressed. He had seen his share of rich abodes before, and while he felt nothing could compare to the Guild property back home (even though he was admittedly biased), Xavier's place was striking. This would be his home for the next while – hopefully as long as possible.

There was a woman serenely standing on the front steps, and he assumed that she was the acquaintance his father had mentioned – something was said about pickpocketing together in Cairo, but to be honest he hadn't paid very much attention. Remy had obviously been much more interested in the fact that he wasn't about to get married yet.

He took in her tall stature, her snowy hair, and her cocoa skin. He then noticed that, oddly enough, she didn't appear cold in the freezing temperatures even though she wasn't wearing a coat. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Remy parked his motorcycle, grabbed the duffle bag off the back, and strode towards her.

"_Bonjour, mademoiselle_!" he called out jovially as he neared, even stooping into a slight bow. "Pleasure t' meet y'! Had no idea _mon père_ (my father) knew such _belle femmes_ (beautiful women)."

She seemed to simply brush off his flirty compliment, impressing him. "Hello, Remy. My name is Ororo Munroe, although I am also known as Storm," she introduced herself, inclining her head. "It's nice to finally meet you. Jean-Luc has told me much about you."

"All good t'ings, I hope," he smirked, following her through the front doors and into the foyer.

Ororo smiled calmly, ignoring the comment. "Welcome to the Xavier Institute. Your father has fully informed me of your… situation, and you are welcome to stay here as long as you feel you need to. We simply ask that you aid the team."

"But o' course. I 'ppreciate yo' hospitality, an' I'll be glad t' help," Remy told her. He'd gladly play superhero if it would prolong the time before his wedding. With his acting skills, he could almost certainly drag out his pretend lack of control for a few years – after all, that was how long it took him to first learn to use his powers, and he imagined it probably took other mutants about that long to master theirs as well.

"That's good to hear. Follow me – I can show you around, and then take you to your room," Storm offered.

"Anyt'ing y' say, Stormy," he grinned, trailing her down the hall.

His comment was met with a raised eyebrow, but then she began her tour. "Down this way is the dining room…"

Remy played the dutiful listener until they reached one of the many rec rooms. It was there that some students had gathered – specifically, two girls, which caused the Cajun to stand up a bit straighter and turn on the charm.

"Jean, Kitty, this is our newest student, Remy LeBeau. Remy, this is Jean Grey, and this is Kitty Pryde," Ororo announced, gesturing to the two in turn.

Kitty offered an excited "Hi!" while Jean greeted him with a more refined "Nice to meet you."

"De pleasure's all mine," he smoothly said, taking both girls' proffered hands and placing a kiss on the backs of them. "Had no idea dat dere'd be such _jolies filles_ (pretty girls) at dis school..."

They both blushed and grinned, although Jean managed to compose herself quicker than Kitty. Ororo simply rolled her eyes and pulled Remy along – Remy guessed that if she had spent time with his father then she was most likely used to the LeBeau flirting. "Come, there's still more to see. We may run into more of your teammates as well – the senior members have all graduated and work with the younger students, who are presently at school. You can meet them later."

"Sure, Stormy… Any mo' _filles_ around?"

To Remy's disappointment, there didn't seem to be. Instead, he met Kurt and Scott in the lower levels – the young German boy seemed friendly enough, but the team leader looked like he needed to relax more. Well, he would simply have to serve as an easy target for Gambit to annoy – he would need one as a replacement for Julien. Summers had joined them for that portion of the tour, informing him of the various training regiments and explaining the significance of the X-men's technology. The thief had used his share of gadgetry in his line of work, but the team's resources were truly impressive.

He had to say the same for the team founder as well – he had met Charles Xavier himself, and despite him being confined to a wheelchair, Remy could sense an aura of power around the man. He was clearly a man that commanded tremendous respect, and yet he also carried a gentle, grandfatherly air.

The first thing Remy did was offer thanks for being accepted – he doubted it was every man that would invite a thief into his home. The Professor merely smiled and replied, "It was my pleasure, Remy. I don't turn my back on mutants that need help, and I'm sure staying here will be a positive experience for you."

The Cajun certainly hoped so… But then again, in his opinion, anything that wasn't being married to Belladonna had to be a positive experience.

On the way upstairs, they ran into the large Russian, Piotr. Remy had a feeling they would get along just fine – he seemed quiet, a good trait for him to have, especially since his room was right next to Remy's. That was their last stop, and Ororo left him there to settle in.

He thanked her, and then entered his new lodgings. He liked what he saw – ample space, an entertainment centre, a balcony that would provide easy access for sneaking out it the occasion arose… It did seem rather empty and blank though. It reminded him of a hotel – completely impersonal, a cookie-cutter model of a room. Remy nodded to himself and began to unpack, thinking his possessions might make the area a bit homier.

It wasn't a great success. He hadn't taken much with him – just clothes and the essential toiletries, thinking he could buy whatever else he needed here. His shirts folded in the dresser and pants hanging in the closet didn't add much character to the room at all. Perhaps he could get some posters, hell, maybe even a potted plant.

That could all wait though – the first thing he needed to do was scope out the mansion and get a feel for the place. It was probably slightly paranoid, but it was what any good little thief would do – and Gambit was certainly more than just a good thief.

- X -

The layout of the mansion was simple enough – he felt confident in saying that he already knew it like the back of his hand. Now Remy's wanderings were simply out of curiosity. As he walked past the library Storm had pointed out, he decided to go inside – they hadn't entered it earlier, and perhaps he could find a book with which to pass the time away.

Xavier had a wide-ranging collection. It certainly didn't emanate the luxury of the Guild's countless leather-bound historical volumes, but instead there appeared to be everything from scientific texts to romance novels – seemingly taking into account every possible taste the inhabitants could have.

Turning a corner, Remy started perusing the contents of a bookshelf when he froze, noticing somebody curled up on the window seat at the end of the aisle. He silently moved closer, and with each step, he liked what he saw more and more.

She was beautiful. That was the first and only word that his mind could come up with, and Remy LeBeau never could resist a beautiful girl. He could see her curves, encased in a purple shirt and a short leather skirt, her long legs wrapped in fishnets, her auburn hair with unique white bangs hiding her face from view… With the way the light shone in through the window and caused the white strands to almost glow, he could have sworn she was an angel, complete with halo. _Dieu_ (God), but she made a sexy package. That's what she was, _sexy_…

Remy neared until he stood beside her. She didn't notice, too engrossed in her book – Poe, he observed. As was his nature, he decided to draw attention to himself, clearing his throat. He didn't intend to startle her, but he couldn't help but chuckle when her head abruptly shot up at the sound.

She glared at him, eyes flashing, and Remy got his first good look at her face – he found himself captivated by two emerald orbs and lush lips set onto pale white skin. The girl didn't even bat a lash at his demon eyes, and he had to smile. It looked like he had found something to occupy him during his stay at the Institute…

- X -

At the sound of a cough, Rogue jerked her head up with a start. She found herself looking up at a handsome boy in a trench coat, with messy auburn hair falling into gorgeous red-on-black eyes. Wait. Handsome? Gorgeous? That sounded much too out of character for her! Scowling at the fact that his presence made her think those things, and then because she noticed the smug look on his face, Rogue glared at the mysterious intruder.

"Who th' hell are yah?" she spat, angered at the interruption and curious as to who dared disturb her.

"Remy LeBeau, at yo' service," he declared, gallantly bowing. "An' y' are?"

"Readin'," she replied, turning her eyes back to the pages, not particularly caring if she wasn't being warm and welcoming to the newcomer. He had barged in on her first, so as far as Rogue saw it, she had the right to be a bit bristly. "Do yah mind?"

He seemed thrown off for a second by her apparent lack of interest, but quickly recovered. "Readin'? What an odd name f'r such a _belle fille_," he mused.

She rolled her eyes, annoyed already. "Th' name's Rogue, Cajun. Now scat!"

"Rogue," Remy repeated, swirling the word around his mouth and testing it as one would a fine wine. "Ahh, now dat seems t' suit y' more, _mon chère_ (my dear)."

"Yo' _chère_? Wow, yah sure work fast, don'tcha?" she muttered, trying to go back to her novel, but finding she had lost her spot.

"Come on, why don' y' put down de book an' take me on a tour o' de mansion, henh?" he suggested, as if the offer was something so tempting that nobody would be able to resist.

Nobody except Rogue, that is, who wanted to laugh at his delusional belief that time spent with him was a privilege. "Ah'm busy, swamp rat!" she burst out, glowering at him once more. "Leave meh alone!"

"Swamp rat? Well, wit' a pet name like dat, _chère_, how can I resist y'?" he asked teasingly, sitting down next to her.

She couldn't believe his persistence! The Mississippian quickly scooted away from him, not enjoying the intrusion of her personal space – which extended further than most people's boundaries, and for good reason. He just pouted at the action, and tried to get closer yet again.

"Look, back off! Ah don't like people gettin' so close tah meh!" Rogue shouted, jumping to her feet and stepping back.

"Dat's a shame," Remy frowned. "Why ever not? 'M sure y' could have any _homme _(man) y' wanted, wit' beauty like yo's… An' believe me, dis Cajun's definitely offerin', _chère_."

"Yeah, whatevah. Ah'm sure th' fact that mah skin sucks th' life force outta people will rescind that," she grimaced, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Dat's yo' power?" he questioned with interest. Rogue noticed an odd glint in his eyes when she nodded, confirming it – it wasn't fear, like with most people. She didn't know quite what it was… Intrigue, maybe? "Nope, m' offer still stands," he continued, an insufferable smirk back on his face.

She couldn't help but snort derisively. "Why don'tcha go play with one o' th' other gals? Ah'm sure Jean an' Kitty would fall all over yah."

Remy mock-gasped, placing a hand to his chest as if scandalized. "Nevermore," he joked.

"Argh!" she grunted, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration before turning on her heel and stalking out of the library. Thankfully, the swamp rat had the good sense not to follow her.

The Southerner fumed as she stormed down the hallway, heading for the sanctuary of her bedroom. She was beyond aggravated – just when she had finally been able to get the others to give her some space, some arrogant jackass had to waltz in like he owned the place and harass her! Although it was nice to know that the others had missed her while she was gone and wanted to spend time with her, she did need her alone time – but Remy LeBeau had ruined that. Rogue prayed that his obviously limited intelligence would be enough to prevent him from ever doing it again.

- X -

**_2 weeks later…_**

Rogue didn't know why she had thought the Cajun would have enough sense to learn from their first encounter and leave her alone – maybe it had just been wishful thinking on her part. It was now obvious that she had no fairy godmother or magic lamp, because her wishes just wouldn't come true. Everywhere she went he seemed to instantly materialize, ready to flirt with her at a moment's notice, and it annoyed her to no end.

Was it due to the embarrassment? Partly, she supposed. But more of it was because she was well aware he just saw her as a challenge, as a girl he enjoyed riling up, and he should have deduced by now that she wasn't interested in playing his game, or in being a conquest. Yet, here they were, two weeks after his disastrous first impression, and he still wouldn't give it up!

It was especially ill timed that Remy had to make his grand appearance in February, of all months – for today was Valentine's Day, Rogue's least favourite day of the year. Normally there would be cause for a bout of depression after seeing other couples holding hands or kissing, and she would sensibly remind herself that it was just a corporate holiday concocted by greeting card companies to sell more goods in the lull between Christmas and Easter – which was true. But this year, with Remy LeBeau determined to woo her, February fourteenth was marked by a sense of dread rather than depression.

She had no doubt that Remy would attempt use the so-called "romance" permeating the air to his advantage, and she wasn't wrong. Returning to her room after a training session with Logan, Rogue found a bunch of roses and a box of chocolates sitting on her bed. She had to admit that the roses were beautiful, but the fact that they came from him deadened their appeal. Besides, bribing her with candy and flowers, the stereotypical Valentine's gifts? How unoriginal.

Turning around and exiting her room, she decided to head for Remy's – she simply couldn't give up the opportunity to mock him for his lack of creativity. As she neared his bedroom, however, she heard him speaking. Stopping in the doorway, Rogue could see him lying on his bed, his phone cradled between his ear and his shoulder. He was rubbing little circles over his temples, and she could plainly see that he wasn't enjoying his conversation.

"_Oui_, Belle, I miss y' too," he sighed – clearly out of annoyance rather than yearning. He paused, listening to the person – Belle, he called her? – continue to speak. "_Oui_, I wish I was back home… It's goin' slow, t' be honest. My control might take a while… I know, I know, but we been over dis… But just hearin' yo' sweet voice is motivatin' me, I want t' get back t' y' as soon as possible…"

Rogue had to keep herself from scoffing in disbelief – was the listener actually buying that garbage? Even she could tell his declarations of affection were about as honest as a used car salesman's pitches.

Walking away before he noticed her, Rogue shook her head in disgust. He was playing some sap back down South while trying to play her as well? He had some gall – she was willing to bet that within a second of hanging up the phone he would have been back to flirting with her. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor girl, whoever she was – although if she honestly believed him then she couldn't be too deserving of Rogue's sympathy.

Grabbing the box and bouquet from off her bed, the girl began to head in the opposite direction, looking for Jamie. On the way to the rec room (there was no doubt he would be there – his addiction to video games had to be unhealthy), Rogue plunked the roses down in one of the mansion's many vases. She thought that they might as well be enjoyed by all, since she would have just thrown them out. Then finding the Institute's youngest member, she sat down next to him.

"Hey, Jamie," she greeted him.

"Hi Rogue!" he piped up, but never took his eyes off the television screen.

"So, Ah've got somethin' fo' yah," the Goth informed him with a smile. "Remy bought theses chocolates, an'-"

"Chocolates?" the boy perked up. His sweet tooth appeared to override his need for computer-animated violence, and he paused the game to look at the box Rogue held in her hand.

"That's right," she nodded, handing them to him. "Yah want 'em?"

"But I'm not supposed to have a lot," he frowned. "Dr. McCoy says they make me too hyper."

"Aww, some special treats on Valentine's Day can't hurt. Just do meh one thing."

"What?" Jamie asked curiously, looking ravenously at the package.

"After yah eat 'em all, make sure yah spend th' whole day with Remy, 'kay? As a thank-ya fo' buyin' them. Ah bet he'll even play some video games with yah," Rogue suggested with a malicious look on her face, which Jamie didn't notice – he was far too busy ripping open the wrappers and stuffing candies in his mouth.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded, his mouth too full to form words as he ravished the bonbons.

"Great," she chuckled with a grin. Perhaps this Valentine's Day wouldn't be so bad after all, watching a frazzled Remy deal with multiple youngsters bouncing off the walls…

- X -

**_2 weeks after that…_**

Unluckily for Rogue and his girl back in New Orleans, accepting defeat was a phrase that did not appear to be in the Cajun's lexicon, because here he was, at the end of an unsuccessful month of attempts, still endeavouring to charm her. Persistence could be an admirable trait, but not in this case. He was impervious to her glares, and not even various projectiles directed at his thick head had any effect on him, so the Goth had taken to simply avoiding him altogether.

She had managed to elude him so far this evening while bidding her teammates and teachers goodnight, and then trudging up the stairs to her bedroom. As she was about to enter, she let out a relieved sigh, glad she would finally have some freedom from her unrelenting, self-appointed shadow – but then an accented voice called to her from down the hall.

"_Chère_, dere y' are! Not goin' t' bed wit'out wishin' me _une bonne nuit_ (a good night), are y'? Or offerin' t' let me join y'?" Remy leered as he came closer.

Rogue let out a mental groan, reluctantly turning to face him. "Goodnight, swamp rat," she forced herself to tell him, plastering on an artificially cheerful grin. Perhaps trying a new approach and being cordial to him would lessen her appeal as a challenge, but she doubted even she could keep up a façade of politeness for long when facing him.

Remy blinked, and she took satisfaction in the fact that she had perplexed him. "Well, y're in a good mood t'night… Usually y' don't smile, even a fake one, 'less y're 'bout t' hit me wit' somet'in'."

The girl shrugged, opening the door and stepping into the refuge of her room. "What can Ah say? Ah'm just glad tah get away from yah fo' a while."

With that, she slammed the door on the confused boy, for once looking forward to her rest if it meant finally having some peace and quiet without the Cajun around.

- X -

**_March 2005_**

Remy woke up early on Saturday. Tossing and turning and trying in vain to fall back asleep, the Cajun eventually gave up and very reluctantly emerged from the warm cocoon of his bed. He decided he might as well head down to the kitchen and satiate the rumbling in his stomach.

Tugging a pair of sweatpants on over his boxers and tying the drawstring around his waist, he opted to forgo a shirt, since he was much too lazy to pull one out. Remy then stumbled down the stairs, his brain still foggy from its waking haze. Most members of his profession were night owls, and he was no exception – the wee morning hours threw off even the most graceful of thieves.

Entering an empty kitchen, his stomach growled once more and prompted him to head for the refrigerator. Remy quickly gathered up the ingredients needed for his patented Cajun omelette, and within minutes the mouth-watering smell of eggs and spices filled the air.

Apparently somebody else thought the scent was appetizing as well – as he walked over to the cabinets to grab a plate, he heard a husky "Mmm," come from the doorway, and turned to see who had walked in.

When he saw it was Rogue, Remy couldn't help but grin – and not simply for the fact that he relished each opportunity to exasperate her. For once she wasn't wearing as many dark garments, or as much makeup – and although she was certainly still beautiful when she did, she looked absolutely stunning now. The faded denim of her jeans hugged her shapely hips, she wore a forest green shirt that would accentuate her eyes, and a small smile actually played around her lips, making him wonder whether she knew there was somebody around to see her like that.

He didn't think she had noticed him yet – she just casually meandered into the room, eyeing the frying eggs curiously. Grabbing a fork from the counter with a gloved hand, she stole a small piece and tasted it, savouring it as if she had been deprived food for weeks – only to gasp at the spiciness. Remy wondered why – when he had made hot Cajun dishes on his nights to cook, she had eaten them without a problem… Now if only she would sample the other hot Cajun dishes he was prepared to offer her, he thought with a smirk, before sneaking up behind her.

"Too hot f'r y', _chère_?" he asked with a grin, watching her shriek and twirl around.

When she faced him her jaw dropped, and the girl took a few steps back. Remy had to fight a slightly hurt frown at the fear on her face – Rogue hadn't been afraid when she had first seen his unusual eyes (which was rare), so why did she seem so nervous now?

Trying to play it off, Remy smirked. "Y' like what y' see?"

She recovered quickly, glancing at his half-naked body with a playful look. He expected a scathing retort, but to his surprise she seductively responded, "I sure do…"

What was wrong with her? That was simply too out of character for the sullen Southerner. Was she doing this purposely, to throw him off? If so, she was definitely succeeding. With the way she was ogling him, it almost seemed like she was seeing him for the very first time. Although maybe that was a good thing – was she finally giving in to his advances? Had he finally succeeded in his goal of breaking down the barriers around the Goth girl? Had he accomplished his challenge of winning the Rogue over, thereby solidifying his self-appointed title as the King of Hearts?

Remy peered into Rogue's eyes to see if a teasing glint was present, only to find those deep green jewels gone – in their place were blue orbs of less dazzling vibrancy. His brow furrowed, and the baffled man was just about to ask what was going on when she spoke.

"Oh, sorry, I don't know what I'm thinking! I should probably introduce myself," she grinned brightly, an expression he had never caused to grace Rogue's face before. "I'm Carol, Carol Danvers. And you are?"

* * *

Ooooh, Carol. I'm sure _nobody_ saw that coming… But what's she doing? Why is she in control of Rogue's body? What the heck-a-roony is going on-diddly-on? Sorry, I had a Flanders moment there…

**Next chapter** – answers to those very questions! Fancy that. Plus, Remy is intrigued by this little twist in his game…

It might be a while before my next update – I'm swamped this month, with 3 papers to write and finals coming up. All I can promise is that I'll update _eventually!_ Reviews might help though… And if you're really itching for something more to read from me, you'll be glad to know that melancholic and I finally updated our joint fic, "_Chase_"! We'd love if you'd go check it out. ;-)

Toodles,

– ish –


	3. Explain

**Disclaimer:** Did you miss the disclaimers in the previous chapters? I still don't own the X-Men!

**A/N:** Again, I write fanfiction when I really should be doing other, seemingly more important things – but I just couldn't leave you all hanging! I'm too kind for my own good sometimes. ;-)

Minnaloushe, demiducky25, Rogue14, jade, enchantedlight, EE's Skysong, TotallyRiddickObsessed, sleepy26, untouchablegoth, howlerdrode, & darkstorm5000: Thanks for your reviews! Like the nerd I am, I sit and continually refresh my inbox and when one pops up it just makes my day!

Freak87, Lady Cajun, Ms.Rogue LeBeau, TheRealMai, & Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: I feel so happy that I managed to surprise you all! Frankly, I thought that the Carol thing would be rather predictable, so yay.

grenwich: For some reason, I find it much easier to write Remy's pov. It'll be switching between him and Rogue throughout the story, although I think there'll be more of him – but does anybody really mind more of the Cajun?

AnalisDestiny: Do I like biology? Nope, but for some reason I'm good at it! Very odd.

Eileen Blazer: Send you, one of my most beloved reviewers, away? Never! Shh, just don't tell anybody I played favourites! ;-) And yes, it's engrained in me that Carol is an evil wench, and yes, Carol is currently in control of Rogue's body – as for what that might mean, you'll just have to wait and see! Bwa ha ha. I wish I could add a bunch more a's to the end of that laugh to truly demonstrate the maniacal quality of it… Sigh.

SweetRevenge151: Oh, no more being update twins for us – I suppose I'll have to pick up the slack! And yup, Carol's there already – there are only so many ways that one can write her being absorbed. It's all pretty much been done before, so I thought it'd be a lot more interesting to deal with the aftermath of it. I hope our London vacation pans out – it's either London or Vancouver, and I just realized that we've picked very rainy destinations.

Shockgoddess: Maybe Remy could get Rogue and Carol to wear nametags, but that'd take the fun out of it!

A Denial: I tried to make it less rushed, but it had to be done. This fic will span a long period of time, so I really just want to skim over some parts to get to more important ones. I'll do my best though – it may mean more writing, but you wouldn't mind that, right? ;-)

Neurotic Temptress: Interesting idea, Remy counteracting the P-card. Remy'd probably look even sexier standing next to him – not that he needs the help though! Can't go a month without my updates, you say? Aww, nice to see I've created an addict. But you know, I've gone for longer without yours – what are _you_ gonna do about that? Think about it, especially after receiving this nice little birthday present...

Quing: Great minds think alike – I always thought of Carol as easy too! Wonder how that might affect things… ;-)

EmeraldKatsEye: You're on the trolley! Gold stars for you.

melancholic: Glad you decided to drop by, whatever your intentions! I wouldn't mind throwing a few dissection kits at Belle. I've worked on foetal pigs – how about those instead of frogs? They'd have more gross organs and fluids and such, so I'm sure she'd just love that. And yes, another blonde to hate – believe me, I'm gonna dislike the Belle/Remy/Carol parts too. Darn, this time I don't have a co-author to pawn those scenes off to! ;-)

Seven Sunningdale: Glad you took the effort to review properly! Since I'm so grateful, I'll give you a hint – you might want to buy some ballet slippers, since I plan to keep you on your toes for quite a while. Hey, have you been looking at my plot outline? Cuz it's eerie how right you are about Remy-and-Carol's-hyphenated-modes. Ugh, typing them _is_ annoying. Anyhoo, here you are, another chapter of half-naked Remy goodness for your (well, _all_ of our) enjoyment.

Sweety8587: Ahh, if only getting rid of Belle were that easy…

Randirogue: I've intrigued you? Considering how much I worship your work, that's the best compliment I've ever received! Hope the intrigue continues – you're probably right about the split personality not throwing Remy off, but oh, there will be glitches ahoy.

missy42: Your review made me smile – you picked out all the lines that I stuck in at the last minute and was iffy about! It put my mind at ease that they were enjoyed, so thanks. And "best Rogue introduction ever"? Really? I honestly thought it was rather typical, so yay! I'm promoting you to the ishandahalf pep squad – but bring your own pom-poms. ;-)

Calliann: You're very welcome for half naked Remy! Especially for you, since you provided that lovely mental picture of him sleeping in the nude in "Matthew". Yum!

I'm sure you all want some answers, so let's get on with it!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 3 – Explain**

**_March 2005_**

'Carol?' Remy thought confusedly. Was that her real name? She must have opted for a _completely_ fresh start if she was opening up to him like that… He figured he might as well play along. "Remy LeBeau," he re-introduced himself with a flirtatious grin, reaching out for her gloved hand and placing a light kiss on her knuckles – hopefully this impression was better than his first one.

He watched as a faint blush spread across her cheeks, and he couldn't help but note that it made her look adorable. Then he observed a spark of recognition flash across her face.

"Remy LeBeau?" she repeated, and then grinned. "Oh, Rogue mentioned you! I don't know what she was ranting about, you're quite the charmer, aren't you?"

The Cajun blinked. "Uh… Rogue, _chère_, I knew y' were a bit odd, but now y're crossin' de threshold int' crazy."

"It's Carol," the girl standing before him – whatever name she was going by – corrected him.

"Okay, Carol den, whatever y' want t' be called. Y' know, y' coulda told me dat when we first met – it's not like it's an embarassin' name or anyt'in' – but I got t' admit, Rogue does suit y' better," he shrugged, not quite understanding what the big deal was.

"But I'm not Rogue!" she griped, exasperated. "I'm Carol, don't you get it?"

"Get what?" He honestly didn't comprehend what she was saying – was she just trying to confuse him, to throw him off? It was definitely something Rogue would do. She apparently liked to see him befuddled as much as he enjoyed seeing her infuriated.

Blue eyes narrowed, preparing her for a rant, but then they widened in sudden realization. "Oh…" she murmured. "Nobody explained our, um, _situation_ to you, did they?"

Remy frowned. "What situation? We have a situation?"

"Not you and me," Rogue/Carol sighed, rolling her eyes. "Me and Rogue."

"But y' _are_ Rogue," he told her slowly, as if describing a complicated concept to a child. He then reached his hand towards her forehead, feigning taking her temperature. "Are y' sure y're feelin' okay?"

She whacked his arm away with surprising strength before he could touch her. "Dammit, will you stop with the condescending attitude and just listen for a second? I'm not Rogue, I'm _Carol_! I'm just in Rogue's body."

His brow furrowed, and Remy opened his mouth but found he didn't quite know how to reply to that. After shaking his head, he noticed that his omelette had been burnt to a crisp – he imagined that was what the neurons in his brain probably looked like after trying to follow this bizarre conversation. "Okay, y're goin' t' have t' draw a diagram or somet'in', cause 'm just not followin'!" he exclaimed while cleaning up his ruined breakfast.

"Well, I've been _trying_ to clear this up for you," an irritated Carol muttered, placing her hands on her hips.

"Sorry," the thief apologized. "Go ahead…"

"Okay. Well, you know about Rogue's powers, right?" she began tentatively.

"_Oui_," he replied. "She can absorb people t'rough skin-on-skin contact."

"Yeah, and bits of the people she absorbs get left behind in her mind – kinda like psychic residue," she elaborated.

His eyes widened as he quickly put the pieces together. "Is dat what happened t' y'? Y're de residue in her head?" After he spoke, he took in how that sounded and scolded himself – calling Carol residue may have been slightly insulting. But then again, why did that matter? Whoever she was, she had taken control of Rogue! He doubted Emily Post considered that proper etiquette, so why should he be polite?

She did indeed appear to take his words the wrong way, because she scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. The action pushed her breasts up and Remy couldn't help but stare at them, although her next words snapped his attention back to the situation once more. "Oh, I'm more than just residue," she corrected him bitterly. "I'm the whole Carol, stuck in Rogue's body."

He paused, unsure of what exactly to say following such a revelation. This was an occasion that even Hallmark didn't print cards for, but he needed to respond somehow. "I'm sorry… How did it happen?"

She scowled, and Remy couldn't help but wince at the anger that emanated from what had been a cheerful girl just moments before – but he supposed she had good reason for being upset. "She absorbed me completely," Carol spat out in a fury. "The bitch killed me!"

The Cajun gasped, and remained silent for a few seconds as her words sunk in. Rogue had killed someone? No, that couldn't be true… He then noticed that Carol had begun pacing agitatedly, running her hands through her auburn and white hair in distress – he felt the need to say something to comfort her, to rationalize the situation not only for her, but for him as well. Perhaps he should try to calm her down, who knew what she might do otherwise?

"Carol, really, 'm so sorry… But 'm sure Rogue wouldn' do somet'in' like dat on purpose, so dere's no need t' be so worked up 'bout it…"

"Worked up?" The girl abruptly stopped marching to whip around and glare at him, and he knew he had said the wrong thing. "Great, here we go again, another person taking Rogue's side instead of mine!" she cried, throwing her hands up into the air in frustration. "I'm not listening to this!" Then she stormed out of the room, leaving a bewildered Remy behind.

'What de hell?' he wondered, even more perplexed than before, which he hardly thought was possible.

- X -

The thief decided to head down to the subbasements, to the lab – he assumed Dr. McCoy would be there (it seemed he always was), and he knew that the good doctor was likely to be the only other one awake at this hour on a weekend. He also presumed that Beast would be the most likely to clarify the Rogue/Carol situation for him, since going straight to the source was not an option at this point in time.

"Henri?" he called out, lightly rapping on the door.

"Come in!" a jovial voice called from inside, and Remy entered the laboratory to find a large blue creature hanging from the ceiling, one large arm dangling from some pipes and the other holding up a newspaper.

"_Bon matin_ (good morning), Henri," he kindly greeted the doctor. "Y're awfully chipper f'r it bein' so early."

Hank chuckled, ripping his eyes away from the paper. "Ah, the end result of a coalescence of coffee and Twinkies for breakfast, my Cajun friend!" he revealed, dropping nimbly to the floor in front of Remy. "The sugar and caffeine work wonders."

"Dat sounds good right 'bout now," Gambit yawned, unable to stop himself.

"Would you care for some coffee?" the man asked him, and when Remy nodded, he walked over to the machine on the counter and poured him some. "Here you are."

About to bring the mug to his lips, Remy stopped a hair's breadth away from taking a sip when he noticed the multitude of chemical bottles that were much too close to the coffee machine for his liking. "Uh, Henri, y' sure dis is safe? I mean, dere's not'in' else in here but coffee, right?"

"I assure you, it's perfectly comestible!" he laughed. "I've been drinking it all morning, and there's nothing wrong with me!"

Remy decided to ignore the fact that he was blue and furry, which weren't exactly indicators of normalcy. The scent of the grounds wafted up to his nose and he couldn't help but gulp it down. "Wow, dis is fantastic coffee." As the liquid ran down his throat, his body warmed – which he was thankful for, since the lower levels of the mansion could be quite cold when one had no shirt on.

"I'm flattered," Beast smiled, sitting down on a stool. "But as much as I enjoy the company, my young friend, why do I hypothesize that your visit this morning has a purpose other than procuring percolated beverages?"

"Ahh, _oui_, y' caught me," Remy grinned, lowering the mug from his mouth, his smile disappearing as he pondered how exactly to word his query. "Was wonderin' if y' could explain somet'in' f'r me. I ran int' Rogue upstairs… Only she's callin' herself Carol."

Dr. McCoy blinked and Remy had to wonder if the man was as surprised at the unexpected turn of events as he was – except that he then gazed down at the paper, read the date and nonchalantly stated, "Oh, of course, it's the beginning of the month already."

"What does dat have t' do wit' anyt'in'?" the thief questioned, baffled. He had thought the news would send Rogue's team mates into a panic, rousing the Professor so he could use his telepathy to bring Rogue back… The indifference to her plight mystified him.

"Well, then it was time for their switch," Hank stated matter-of-factly, as if Remy was the one making no sense. "I must have lost track of the days again – I've just been so engaged with my latest experiment, analyzing the introns and exons on the X-gene, that I hadn't realized March had started!"

"…I don' follow."

"Oh, well, it's quite fascinating," he gushed. "After the transcription process, when the ribonucleic acid is in its primary transcript, various enzymes-"

"_Non_, not dat," Remy interrupted, before Beast could switch into what the entire mansion dubbed 'Scientist Mode'. "De part about de switch, an' de beginning o' de month."

"You weren't told?"

"Told what?" Remy cried, frustrated. "'M obviously missin' somet'in' very important here!"

"Indeed…" mused the doctor. "How odd that nobody elucidated the situation to you…"

"Den could y' maybe do it please? I'd like t' know who I was talkin' t' in de kitchen dere. Rogue hasn' gone insane, right?"

"Oh my, no!" Beast chuckled amusedly. "Our dear Rogue may have her eccentricities, but I can assure you that she is far from insane. In fact, I consider it rather remarkable that she managed to retain her mental cognizance with another persona amalgamated in her mind."

As he tried to translate the sentence into one more easily comprehensible, he remembered what Carol had mentioned upstairs. "So dere's anot'er person in her head? Carol was absorbed by Rogue an' is stuck in her body?"

"Essentially, yes," Dr. McCoy nodded. "Although that is a rather simplified version of events."

"So den, what's de whole story? How'd dis happen?" Remy pressed. He had a hard time believing what Carol had furiously spouted out about Rogue maliciously killing her. Rogue was certainly bristly and enjoyed threatening him with violence, but a cold-hearted murderer? There was no way.

"Please, take a seat," Hank gestured to a stool by the counter. "It's a rather long tale, it would be prudent to get comfortable."

Gambit agreed, sitting and placing his coffee mug down. He watched as Hank poured himself another cup and swallowed a mouthful, as if it was preparing him to narrate the incident.

"Do you recall a few months ago, when mutants were first exposed by the Sentinel robot?" he began suddenly, in a serious tone.

"_Oui_, o' course. Not hard t' fo'get a major news event like dat," he answered. It had been a rough time for him back in New Orleans – the Guilds already knew he was a mutant of course, but his demon eyes were feared even more whenever he ventured out. As if he hadn't already been self-conscious enough about them before, he had been forced to always wear sunglasses after that and was constantly paranoid about anybody discovering what was hidden behind them.

"Well, during the battle, a number of the X-Men were captured by the Sentinel and taken to a secret government facility at Area 51." Not quite knowing why, Remy felt an awful lurch in his stomach. "The scientists there were very eager to study mutants. Most of us were lucky, only having to undergo some blood tests, along with a few pokes and prods. However, they found Rogue's powers to be… Fascinating. She was their favourite 'lab-rat', if you will. We were only there for a short time before we were rescued, but Rogue spent most of that time out of her cell, being experimented on."

Remy grimaced, shutting his eyes. He felt so incredibly stupid, so childish – there he was complaining about having to wear sunglasses when Rogue had been getting tortured. "So dat's where it happened?" he rasped quietly.

"From what I understand, the _scientists -_" Beast said the word with a sarcastic tone and let out a derisive scoff, clearly believing they deserved no such title. "- had Rogue strapped down to a gurney. They then wheeled a sedated Carol Danvers over – I believe she had been captured merely days before. They forced skin-on-skin contact between them for an extended period of time, until Carol was completely absorbed."

"Completely? So she's… Dead?" the Cajun slowly enquired.

"Yes," Hank whispered, nodding slowly. Remy could clearly see the powerful conflicting emotions brewing behind his eyes – anger at what had been done to his student, sadness for her having to endure such pain, and even guilt towards himself for being unable to prevent it.

"_Merde_," mumbled the thief, summing up their feelings quite succinctly.

"Indeed."

The two remained quiet for a few minutes, until Remy tentatively broke the silence. His curiosity was not yet satiated – he needed to know more. "Then what happened after dat? Why is Carol in control o' Rogue's body now?"

Beast took a calming sip of coffee before getting a far-off look on his face, remembering what had transpired. "Understandably, Rogue felt horribly guilty about what she had done to Carol."

"But it wasn't her fault, henh?" Remy pointed out.

"Oh yes, I know that. We all do," Hank assured him. "The situation was clearly beyond Rogue's control, but nevertheless, she still blames herself. She always does when her powers harm somebody – she feels it is her fault because she has been unable to control them. Carol blaming her didn't help the situation any, of course. Ms. Danvers began attacking her mind, sending Rogue into a sort of mental hibernation while Carol managed to take control of her body. It never lasted long, since Rogue fought back and regained control – Carol couldn't stay in control without Rogue's permission, you see, since it is Rogue's body and she has the most mental influence over it. However, she was also ill-equipped to handle an entire personality in her head, which is why Carol was able to keep temporarily regaining command."

"So dey were in a sort o' stalemate?"

"Exactly. Professor Xavier was trying to help, naturally – he attempted to permanently lock Carol up behind mental shields, but Rogue wouldn't let him."

"What? Why not?" Remy asked, astonished.

"This is Rogue we're talking about," Hank reminded him with a smile small. "As cold as she may sometimes appear, she is an extremely remarkable and compassionate young woman. She made it clear that she had been the one to kill Carol, and she simply couldn't allow her to be locked up and essentially be killed again when she had one last chance to live."

"Wow," Gambit murmured to himself. He was stunned at Rogue's altruism – not only for the fact that it seemed far from the frigid persona she portrayed, but also because of the sheer righteousness of her action. He doubted if he could ever so such a thing… "Can't believe she was willin' to do dat… But wait, what do y' mean, 'one last chance t' live'?"

"Well, using negotiation skills that I doubt even many world leaders possess, Rogue managed to mediate an agreement with Carol. She offered to have them exchange control over her body every month, since she felt so incredibly guilty about taking Carol's life away from her – needless to say, Carol jumped at the opportunity to live again, even for only part of the time."

Remy's jaw dropped open in shock. "Wait – so dey share a body? Dat's de most bizarre t'ing I've ever heard!"

"That it is," Hank agreed, but then smiled sheepishly. "Although from a scientific standpoint, it is also quite intriguing. It is a perfect example of a symbiotic relationship, where both members are dependant on one another – without Rogue's cooperation, Carol would not be able to live life at all, and without Carol's cooperation, Rogue would simply be stuck in the never-ending cycle of having her body taken over by Carol and then fighting to reclaim it."

All Remy could do was nod distractedly, the strangeness of the situation still attempting to sort itself out in his mind.

"I hope I managed to adequately clarify things for you," Beast told him, standing up from his seat. "I realize the scenario is quite out of the ordinary, but don't worry, you're not the only one who has difficulty accepting it – it is still hard for the rest of us as well. We unfortunately keep calling Carol by Rogue's name, it quite upsets her sometimes…"

"Wouldn' wanna do dat," Remy winced regretfully, getting to his feet as well. He decided he should go apologize – it seemed he had already antagonized Rogue enough, it probably wouldn't be wise to do the same with Carol. "T'anks f'r de talk, Henri."

"My pleasure, my Cajun comrade!" the doctor waved jovially as the young man exited the lab. "Come back any time!"

- X -

As Remy scoured the mansion looking for Rogue – no, it was Carol now, he reminded himself – he attempted to process all the information he had just learned. It seemed so surreal, like a science fiction story – perhaps he had unwittingly stumbled into the Twilight Zone? And yet at the same time, just as Beast had mentioned, it _was_ rather intriguing…

He managed to track his target down in one of the rec rooms, where she was on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal while watching television. "Carol?" he tentatively called, walking up to her.

She turned her head towards him – he watched as her blue eyes trailed up and down his naked torso with poorly disguised interest, and he had to stifle a cocky smirk before she finally looked at his face with a more wary expression. "Yeah?"

He slowly sat down beside her, leaving a comfortable space between them. "I just wanted t' apologize f'r earlier, in de kitchen… 'M really sorry I reacted de way I did. Was just surprised, dat's all – nobody tol' me 'bout yo' switch."

Carol accepted his words with a nod and a small smile. "That's okay, I guess."

"_Bien_ (good)," he sighed in relief, taking her hand in his and kissing the back of it. "Don' t'ink I could live wit' knowin' I made such a _belle fille_ upset."

"Bell fee?" she repeated confusingly, and Remy had to stop himself from wincing at the butchered pronunciation.

"French f'r 'beautiful girl'," he enlightened her with a charming grin, and then enjoyed the embarrassed blush that appeared on her face – it was amusing to see how much easier she was to flirt with than Rogue.

"Uh, thanks," she giggled, looking up at him for a second and then quickly away, before she could be distracted by the expanse of bare skin and muscles he had on display. She then slowly started to speak while keeping her gaze fixed at the floor. "You know, I should probably apologize too."

"F'r what? Bein' so gorgeous? Y're right, it's terribly cruel o' y'."

She blushed even harder, but managed to roll her eyes this time in a futile attempt to downplay how he was affecting her. "No… I probably shouldn't have reacted so angrily earlier. It's just that… Well, I'm treated weirdly around here because of my situation with Rogue. It feels like most of the others favour her over me, and I just thought that since you were new and didn't really know either of us, that maybe you'd feel differently about me."

He smiled at the perfect opening. "Y're right. I don' really know y'… But I t'ink I'd like t'."

Carol's head shot up and she looked at him with wide, startled eyes. "Oh?" she questioned inquisitively, her voice at a slightly higher pitch.

"_Oui_," he confirmed, squeezing her hand. "How 'bout y' an' me go out t'morrow night an' get t' know each ot'er better?"

"Out? Like, out on a date?"

"If y'd like," Remy shrugged. "No pressure. I can take y' t' dinner an' try an' make up f'r my less den stellar first impression, henh?"

She gave a tittering laugh, attempting to regain her composure. "I'd like that."

"Yeah?" he asked, slightly surprised – perhaps he was just used to Rogue offering so much resistance.

His uncertain response appeared to be somewhat endearing, because it prompted Carol to give a sweet smile. "Yeah," she verified.

"Great," Remy grinned, planting one more kiss on her hand before he stood up. "T'morrow at seven good f'r y'?"

"That's fine," she agreed. "I can't wait."

"Me neither, _chère_, me neither." He winked and walked out of the room with a smug smile, knowing Carol was watching his every move.

So, he had Carol to play around with for the next month? He liked the sounds of that – if he couldn't woo Rogue, then Carol would do. After all, they had the same stunning looks… She didn't quite offer the same challenge as Rogue's insults and banter did, but she would probably be enough to keep him occupied for the next few weeks.

The more he thought about it however, the more Remy began to see benefits to Rogue and Carol's peculiar circumstances. It could, in fact, be the ultimate challenge – attempting to make _two_ girls who couldn't touch fall for him? Better yet, juggling those two girls in the same body…

He smirked. It appeared that his source of amusement at the Institute had just become much more complicated, but if anybody could pull it off, Remy LeBeau could – and most certainly would.

* * *

Oh, that Remy… Tsk tsk. He's being quite the cad at the moment, isn't he?

**Next chapter** – the Cajun takes Rogue out on a date! No, wait, not Rogue – just Rogue's body. Carol gets to have all the fun…

Time for my customary plea for reviews! How about you all insert your own? Just make it the one that will be most effective in prompting you to hit that little button down there…

Toodles,

– ish –


	4. Ease

**Disclaimer:** Insert standard legal disclaimer here!

**A/N:** I'm here, I'm still alive, don't fret… Yup, sorry it took so long, but exams are the devil. I'm in the process of repressing all that horror and anxiety, so while I work on that, let's focus on more fun things. Like, say, a new chapter of my fic? What a coincidence, here's one now!

Personage, Rogue 14, Sweety8587, darkstorm5000, LoneWolf422, Ms.Rogue LeBeau, Rogue4787, NG, naemis, enchantedlight, Swasti, wildcardrose, chicita, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, xmengirlzrule, EE's Skysong, & mj: I'm feeling the love! To show my undying appreciation and gratitude, scroll down a bit and uncover a brand new instalment, just for you!

AnalisDensity, A Denial, & jade: We'll learn about Rogue's awareness next chapter, so stay tuned! Same bat time, same bat channel.

not Eileen Blazer: Oh, you killed Eileen? Well, good – don't tell anybody, but I think we're better off without her. ;-) So, you're predicting trouble. Gosh, with two girls sharing a body and Remy going after them both? Whatever gave you that idea? You don't think it's plausible that they'll all sit down together and work out some friendly, mature agreement? …Yeah, probably not. Oh, your drawn out exclamation was duly noted – don't think it really helped though, sorry.

Shockgoddess: The first Remy/Carol fic? I actually don't know, no others spring to mind… Huh. I suppose that's a good thing, yay for me being original and all, and yet the fanatically Rogue/Remy part of my brain is scolding the creative part that came up with the plot. Shame on me!

demiducky25: There'll be much more about the Rogue/Carol/touching/powers conundrum in later chapters. I've got a theory too, that I actually developed due to my psych class – all that knowledge actually came in handy!

SweetRevenge151: Yay for chit-chat! Gosh, I actually forgot about you coming to my side of the pond, but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes, cold, that's what I have to live through each winter – although we're in the middle of a heat wave now, funny how things work out like that. Only 14 'eh's? Huh, I expected more. Oh, sorry about your horrible rowing defeat though… Bad news – looks like our London trip is postponed to next summer. I hope the Morrissey musical is still on then – if not, you'll _have_ to see it for me, and take notes! Or perhaps sneak a camcorder in.

Seven Sunningdale: Note to self – Seven's weakness is a shirtless Remy… Now how to use that to my advantage? And I think every kid went through the 'I want a pet tiger' phase. Heck, I _still_ want one, so what does that say?

Freak87: I don't think Carol dying would make her psyche fade… I'd assume not, since the psyche doesn't have a tangible connection to her body – she's been completely absorbed by Rogue, so that's where she is. Or at least, that's what I'm going by – cuz if that's not true, then I have a huge plot problem, don't I?

Randirogue: I deepen, enhance, spark, and thrill? Aww, shucks, you're making me blush! And yup, I'm definitely exploring the possibilities here – there are so many issues that could come from a scenario like Rogue and Carol's, and I'm going to delve into some of them. Just think of me as a spelunker of the human/fictional character psyche!

Neurotic Temptress: Glad you like them sharing. I figure tons of fics show the problems that Rogue and Carol have when the two of them fight for control – so instead I plan to show that a compromised situation could possibly create even _more_ troubles. Insert evil laughter here. And woah, I can totally picture Remy saying that line… But let's hope the situation never calls for it!

Minnaloushe: Yup, Carol is definitely the anti-Rogue. I'm doing my best to contrast them, it'll definitely help Remy figure things out. You pitying Carol will probably change in the future. And funny you should mention that 'Buffy' episode… Nah, I wouldn't be that cruel – although I certainly thought about it!

missy42: Yup, definitely had a certain world leader in mind… Pretzels, anyone? ;-) Glad you liked my Beast! I think he's a kindred spirit, cuz I love using big words and sciencey jargon too. But regarding Remy kissing Carol's hand, it was gloved – and he never actually put a hand on her forehead, she swatted it away before contact. So try not to freak out about the two of them! …Yet.

simba317: Nope, didn't get the idea for Carol's absorption from 'From the Shadows'. I actually forgot about that until you mentioned it! I just wanted a neutral scenario where neither of them could really be blamed for what happened.

Calliann: Now why would I have Remy put a shirt on? Where's the fun in that? ;-)

Just a small note before we head on. I'm going to use my artistic license, so this Carol will be slightly different from comic Carol – _mainly that her powers are not due to Kree genes_. Let's just pretend she's a typical mutant that manifested her powers, okay? Cuz we really don't need to make an already complicated situation even more confusing with aliens. ;-)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 4 – Ease**

**_March 2005_**

Something suddenly exploded to the right of Gambit, causing the ground to tremble. Losing his balance, he quickly caught himself in a somersault and rolled behind some crates that shielded him from the blast. After checking himself over, mainly to make sure his trench coat wasn't singed, he leapt up and jogged away, a deck of cards ready in his hand.

Turning a corner, he came upon an open area and saw Shadowcat and Nightcrawler dancing around giant animals that Pyro, laughing maniacally, had constructed out of fire. They were in no grave danger, seeing as how they could phase through or teleport away from the flames, but he felt he might as well give them a hand anyway. It appeared that all those pep talks on teamwork were sinking in slightly…

Charging a card and letting it fly with precise aim, it sliced right through the pack on the mutant's back, thereby cutting off his fuel supply. Another card thrown at his feet made the Aussie jump back in alarm, distracting their opponent enough to allow Nightcrawler to teleport Shadowcat behind him. The girl then grabbed him, phasing him into a nearby packing crate – much to the young man's chagrin, who began loudly spouting curse words inside the box.

"Zat's one down!" the German mutant happily exclaimed, high-fiving the girl next to him.

"Now only a bunch more to go!" she grinned in return, then turned to the Cajun. "Thanks for the cards, Gambit. You ready for some more?"

"'M always ready, _petite_ (little one)," he smirked – only to have it wiped off his face as Kurt ported them to another corner of the warehouse. He still wasn't used to that unique mode of transportation yet, it always left him with a vaguely queasy feeling.

As the smoke and smell of sulphur cleared, the thief could make out Jean using her telekinesis to deal with Quicksilver, Colossus pounding on Avalanche, and Carol going toe-to-toe with the Blob. They all looked to be handling themselves rather admirably, so he simply stood aside and watched them – or more specifically, he watched Carol. He often enjoyed observing Rogue bend and flex in her skin-tight uniform, but there was more entertainment value in this fight due to more impressive superpowers thrown into the mix.

She caught the large boy's punches easily, deflecting them like he was no more than a mere fly buzzing annoyingly around her head. When it appeared he got tired of attempting to land any hits on her, he simply dove on top of her – only her reflexes were well honed, and she arced into the air around him, flying up as he landed on the concrete floor with a crash. Taking advantage of him being down, the girl reached and grabbed his arm, then to Remy's shock, lifted the gigantic mutant as if he weighed no more than a feather. A second later he was thrown into a nearby wall that then collapsed on him, and the Cajun couldn't help but whistle in appreciation.

Carol wasn't a particularly notable combatant, lacking the finesse and agility Rogue had, but her powers were truly remarkable. They were quite something to watch, especially since he hadn't seen them in action before – it prompted him to wonder why Rogue tended not to use them, but his ponderings were interrupted as a deafening grating sound emanated from above them.

All the X-Men looked up to see the metal roof being ripped off the warehouse like it was a sardine can, with a figure in purple and red armour floating down inside. The team went to work immediately. Gambit threw a steady stream of cards at the Master of Magnetism while Jean telekinetically propelled some crates at him, only to have them deflected with a shield torn off from the roof. Magneto then sent a few beams their way – one Jean stopped with her powers and one Colossus caught with his enhanced strength in metal form, but the last one headed straight towards Carol at an astonishing velocity.

"Rogue, watch out!" Kitty cried, as Kurt immediately teleported over to the girl and bampfed out her out of the way.

They reappeared next to Shadowcat, where Carol shrugged out of Nightcrawler's grip. "Geez, calm down! It wouldn't have hurt me anyway – invulnerability, remember?" she pointed out, annoyed. "And it's _Ms. Marvel_."

"Right, sorry," Kitty mumbled as they stepped back, looking abashed. "I forgot…"

"Whatever," Carol sighed, taking flight once more.

Kurt and Kitty sent sad looks at each other but then returned to the fray. Magneto had taken advantage of his control over Piotr's metal form, attempting to crush his body in on itself – Shadowcat quickly jumped on top of him, turning him intangible and therefore leaving no metallic particles for their enemy to manipulate.

Gambit used that distraction to aim more charged cards his way, which the older man blocked in the nick of time. He kept at it, annoying the other mutant greatly. He sent some piping hurtling in Remy's direction, only to have the Cajun dodge the pieces with ease. Swiftly dipping beneath one pipe and leaping over another, he kept throwing his own projectiles towards Magneto, only needing to keep him occupied for a few more seconds.

As he was doing so, Ms. Marvel silently swooped up behind him. Reaching out and grabbing the helmet off his head, the man instantly let out a yell as Jean's telepathy invaded his mind. Knocked unconscious a second later, he plummeted to the ground, caught by a teleporting Nightcrawler mere seconds before impact with the ground.

"Danger Room session 1315-2b completed," sounded a computerized voice from all around them, and the mutants watched as the simulation faded from view, leaving only an empty, echoing room around them.

"Great job, team," Cyclops' voice then came from the speakers, and they looked up to see him standing in the control room. "Come up for your debriefing, and then you can all hit the showers."

Remy rolled his eyes at their leader's no-nonsense tone of voice, and then joined the rest of his teammates as they headed for the doors. He watched as Kitty walked over to Piotr and shyly asked if he was okay, amused as the tin man became all flustered at the younger girl's concern. Shaking his head, he wondered how long it would take them to realize the other's feelings, which were apparent to everybody in the mansion – except for them, of course.

He suddenly coughed, having walked through a cloud of smoke, the by-product of Kurt porting up to the control room. Remy waved his arms around in attempts to diffuse the odour before jogging on ahead to get away from it quicker. His eyes then settled on Carol and Jean walking together in front of him.

"Great job today, Carol," Jean was congratulating the other girl enthusiastically.

"Thanks," she beamed. "You too."

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done much against Magneto without his helmet off," she modestly brushed away the compliment. "That was good strategy."

"Yeah?" Carol asked thoughtfully.

"Definitely. I'm sure Scott will mention it too," the redhead said with the fond expression that always appeared at mentions of her boyfriend.

"Of course he will, he goes over every single second of every single exercise!" the other girl groaned with a laugh.

The telepath giggled too, but then tried to half-heartedly defend her man. "Oh, he's just thorough…"

"Is he that thorough in _everything_ he does?" Carol queried suggestively, looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a mischievous grin.

Jean gasped and giggled, but didn't reply. From the snickers that then erupted from Carol however, Remy had to assume they were communicating psychically, and for that he was glad – he didn't need any details about Scott and Jean's private activities. Well, anything regarding Jean he wouldn't have minded, but Scott? Considering what sort of things the girls were most likely gossiping about, he felt being left in the dark about certain aspects of One-Eye was best for his sanity.

As he trailed them, he couldn't help but furrow his brow at how strange the duo in front of him looked. He had never seen Rogue act this friendly and warm towards Jean – or vice versa, as a matter of fact. Conversely, he had noticed that Kitty and Kurt seemed rather uncomfortable around Carol – not only in the simulation, but outside of training as well. It would be interesting to see how different Carol and Rogue really were, and how the dynamics of the team would be affected… Remy would need to keep his eyes and ears open, especially if he wanted his plan to win them both over to succeed. All the facts he could get would help. He was a professional thief, after all – gathering information was one of the many skills in his extensive repertoire.

As the rest of the team all entered the control room, the thief kept to his observations. He watched Carol and Jean lean against one of the consoles, still chatting animatedly. Kitty and Piotr came in after he did, and he noticed that the girl walked over to the opposite side of the room, shooting gloomy glances at the body of her best friend. When Kurt finally settled down and perched in a chair, Scott began his breakdown of the exercise.

"So, like I said, you all did well," he began, glancing down at the clipboard in his hands and perusing the extensive notes he had taken during the session. "I was impressed with your teamwork, especially at the end. Kitty, nice move helping Piotr by making him intangible."

"Thanks," she chirped, turning beet red when Piotr looked over at her.

"And Jean, Carol, good job working together to take down Magneto."

"See, told you so," Jean whispered to her friend, elbowing her in the side.

Carol preened, until Scott continued. "…Although after Jean knocked him unconscious, you should have caught him! You were right there, it would have made sense for you to do so instead of forcing Kurt to jump in. I know you're still relatively new to the X-Men, and I know it's hard to show compassion to your enemy, but we all have to do the right thing…"

The girl scowled, looking down at the floor with a grimace. Remy could tell she was tuning out Cyclops' words, and he did the same, until he heard his name mentioned a few minutes later.

"And Remy, you generally did okay, except that maybe you should pay more attention to the simulation and less to the state of your trench coat. Why do you wear that thing with your uniform anyway?"

"Pockets," the Cajun shrugged. Then he smirked, winking in the direction of Jean and Carol. "An' o' course, dis _homme_'s gotta look good f'r de _femmes_, _non_?"

"The X-Men are here to defend mutant rights, not to act as your own personal dating service," Scott sighed, exasperated, and then swiftly continued – he had quickly learned not to leave any openings for Remy's cocky rebuttals. "All right, I think that pretty much covers it. We're done for today, team dismissed."

As everyone headed out and towards the locker room, Remy grabbed Carol's arm, pulling her back until she was walking beside him. "Dunno what Scott was goin' on about, de team seems t' work just fine as my datin' service," he told her with a grin, pleased when she beamed back. "Just wanted t' remind y' about t'night. We still on?"

"Of course!" Carol exclaimed. "I wouldn't forget."

"Just wanted t' make sure," he informed her, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. "Don' t'ink dis poor Cajun could handle it if y' cancelled…"

"There's no way I'd cancel," she declared. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Good, so am I," the thief agreed. "Meet y' at seven, 'kay?"

"Definitely," she nodded as he squeezed her gloved hand, but she then regretfully pulled it away. "Um, I've got to shower now, so I'll see you then…"

"Or, how 'bout I join y' instead?" Remy offered jokingly, ready to follow her into the girl's change room.

"I don't think so!" she gasped indignantly, pressing a hand to his chest to stop him from entering. "Besides, you wouldn't just be showering with me, the other girls are in there too."

He just leered. "Is dat supposed t' discourage me?"

Carol could only blush and shake her head, then turn and quickly walk inside. As Gambit moved across the hallway and entered the male locker room, he laughed quietly to himself – it was almost too easy…

- X -

Remy shot a confident grin at his mirror, satisfied with what it reflected back at him. He was dressed in a charcoal-coloured silk shirt and black slacks, his hair was neatly combed, and there was no need to be modest about it – he had to say that he looked damn good. After adding the finishing touch of a dab of cologne, he grabbed his trench coat and headed out the door.

As he strode down the hallway, he tipped his head and winked at the girls he passed. Jubilee's jaw had dropped open and Amara's eyes had bulged out when they saw him, and without even needing to check behind him, he knew they had frozen in their spots and were watching him walk away. He added an extra jaunt to his step for their benefit, and grinned – there was simply no better ego boost than such flattering attention from the opposite sex…

But at the moment, there was one person's attention in particular that he was hoping to catch. Reaching her bedroom, the Cajun lightly rapped on the door. It opened a few seconds later to reveal the auburn-haired girl, and oddly enough, Remy had to remind himself to breathe.

He marvelled at how different she looked – the black clothes he was so used to seeing enshroud her were gone, replaced with a sapphire blue dress, the satin hugging her curves and then flowing down to her knees. She was still covered up, wearing black gloves and a cream-coloured pea coat, but the tantalizing view of pale skin above the neckline and below the hem of her dress enticed him. His amazement intensified as his gaze drew up to her face, where no dark eye shadow or lipstick resided – instead there was a slight shimmer above her eyes and gloss on her lips, somehow managing to make them look even fuller.

"_Dieu_, just when I t'ought it wasn' possible f'r y' t' get mo' beautiful," he murmured before he could filter what came out of his mouth.

"Thanks… Funny, because I was thinking you couldn't get more handsome," Carol replied, blushing as she stepped out and closed her door behind her.

Remy grinned, delighted at her reciprocating his flirting. "Shall we?"

"We shall," she concurred, and they headed off together.

As they walked down the hallway, Remy lightly placed a directing hand on the small of her back. To his surprise, she leaned into it, welcoming the action. He had assumed she would be like Rogue, tensing when she was in close proximity to others, not wanting another persona to share her body with – but that wasn't the case, and he was glad. It was always easier to turn women into putty in his hands with a few tender touches and caresses…

As they entered the garage, she asked, "Which car are we taking?"

He just smirked mischievously in response, walking past his motorcycle and the X-Van, stopping beside a small red roadster. "Dis one," he told her, leaning against it and patting the hood affectionately.

"What? That's Scott's car!" she gasped. "How did you get him to let you drive it?"

"Took some skill, I'll tell y' dat," he chuckled, opening the door and chivalrously helping her into the passenger's side. Then he hopped into the driver's seat, stuck the keys that he managed to swipe from Scott's pocket that afternoon into the ignition, and they sped off.

- X -

Remy brought her to a charming Italian bistro in the city, thinking she would love the romantic ambiance. The few girls he had gone out with since coming to New York he had brought here – they had all enjoyed it, why should Carol be any different?

He had the process perfected, planned for maximum efficiency and success – his own assembly line system of dating. Every time, he and his date sat in the corner booth, the one with dim lighting and candles on the tabletop setting the mood. They would order, always enjoying the meal – not just because the food was good, but also because Italian cooking was a safe bet. With choices ranging from pasta to pizza, there was something for everyone – even for those crazy girls who compulsively counted calories or refused to eat animal products.

The bistro was close to the riverfront, which then provided a picturesque location for a walk after dinner to enjoy the skyline – and it then usually prompted offers that would provide further entertainment until the sun rose. He certainly didn't expect anything like that in this situation, but who knew how the night would conclude?

After he helped Carol into her side of the booth, Remy sat down on his. A waiter came by right away, taking their drink orders and bringing their beverages with brisk efficiency, clearly recognizing the red-eyed man as the generous tipper he had served many times before.

As they examined the menu a silence fell between them, with Carol feeling the need to fill it. "So, what do you think you'll order?" she asked awkwardly.

"De Spicy Pasta Plate," he decided, putting the menu down. He didn't know why he even bothered to look at it, he always ended up getting the same thing every time anyway. "An' what'll y' have?"

"I don't know… Something without meat."

"Y're a vegetarian?"

"Yeah."

"Den please don' talk t' Kitty," he groaned, remembering the lecture she had given him when he had tried to serve her Cajun chicken for dinner. "Y' two'll be startin' animal rights campaigns in no time."

"I'll do my best not to," she laughed uneasily. "Oh look, vegetable lasagna, that sounds great."

When their server came back, they both placed their orders. Once their privacy was restored once more, the Cajun took a sip of his bourbon, then smiled over at the girl and began to speak. "So, Carol. Tell me 'bout yo'self."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anyt'in'," he shrugged. "'M curious, I really don' know a t'ing about y'."

"Okay… Well, my name is Carol Susan Jane Danvers," she began, tracing the rim of her glass with her fingers. Remy had to fight raising a scrutinizing eyebrow at the series of extremely plain names, and instead listened as she went on. "I'm eighteen, I was born in Boston and lived there with my family all my life."

"What're dey like?" he asked.

"They're great," Carol recalled fondly. "There's my mom and dad, and my brothers, Joseph and Steven. They're older than me, so I looked up to them a lot. When I was little I'd always be following them, trying to join in their games… It wasn't their idea of fun to have their little sister tagging along, but eventually I even became competition, and started challenging them…"

"Yeah, challenges are fun, henh?" he inserted innocently.

"It was great, showing them that I could do something even though I was 'just a girl'," she went on, thinking nothing of his sly comment. "I loved proving those attitudes about me wrong, trying to make them and my parents proud."

"How could dey not be proud o' someone like y'?" he queried with an intent look on his face, keeping with his constant flattery.

She frowned. "Don't get me wrong, I know they were proud of me. It's just that my dad… Well, he had some pretty chauvinistic ideas, but I did my best to ignore them. We all loved each other though, and got along great – typical family stuff, you know."

"Right," he grinned wryly. The stereotypical, all-American nuclear family? Nope, he didn't know anything about that. The closest things he had to a white picket fence and a dog were the gators in the swamp and the ten-foot tall perimeter wall surrounding the Guild estate.

The conversation came to a halt when their food was served. After the waiter left, the Cajun continued. "You miss dem?"

"Yeah, sort of…" she trailed off.

When she didn't elaborate, Remy took it upon himself to prompt more discussion. "Sort of?"

"It's hard to explain," sighed Carol, fiddling with the utensils in front of her. "I mean, they buried my body and thought I was dead. Then when I got control of this body, I tried to contact them. I really freaked them out – not only did I have to tell them I was a mutant, but there I was, in the body of the girl that killed me…"

Gambit reached across the table, taking her hands in hers. The action seemed to help – she gave a weak smile and continued. "Let's just say they didn't take the news well. They didn't really want to know anything about my powers, or my situation – hell, I don't think they even believed me. As far as they were concerned, their daughter died and they didn't want anything to do with her murderer."

This time knowing better than to correct her wording and defend Rogue, Remy instead squeezed her hands reassuringly. "It was pro'ly easier f'r dem t' just have it end like dat after comin' t' terms wit' it, den t' see y' in dis rough situation an' rehash all de pain," he told her sagely.

"I guess…" She shook her head, stabbing her food with her fork. "Look, can we just talk about something else please?"

"O' course."

"What about your family?" she questioned inquisitively. "What are they like?"

"Not dat interestin'," the Cajun brushed off the subject nonchalantly, not wanting to discuss his past at all. "'M more interested in y'," he cooed, trying to change her focus.

"But I'd like to know about you!" she persisted. "You're so mysterious."

"Ahh, dat's all part o' de charm o' de tall, dark, an' handsome stranger," he pointed out with a seductive expression on his face. "Y' really want t' ruin my mystique? 'Sides, dere's really not dat much t' tell."

"Well, where are you from?"

"De South," he responded vaguely, then shrugged. "Not'in' too excitin' down dere. 'M sure dere's much mo' t' do in Boston, henh? What's it like? I've never been."

He silently breathed a sigh of relief as he successfully managed to change the subject, and Carol ran with it. She went on about growing up in Massachusetts, spending time with her old friends, writing as a reporter for her high school newspaper, and even her stint as a cheerleader. She was an open book, answering every sugar-coated query a seemingly captivated Remy asked. The girl never received answers to her own questions about him, but she failed to notice – he managed to adroitly dance around the issue each time, turning it back to her. It was almost effortless, but the thief just grinned and bore it.

- X -

The mansion was quiet when they returned, with the lights off and the inhabitants snugly tucked away in their beds. Gambit was glad for that – he intended to keep his little game away from Carol and Rogue's friends as much as possible. They definitely wouldn't find it as amusing as he did…

"I had a really nice time tonight," Carol told Remy in a hushed voice as he walked her back to her room.

"Me too," he agreed, forcing a smile. "Does dat mean I'm forgiven f'r makin' y' mad yesterday mornin'?"

"Of course," she giggled, but then turned contemplative. "Actually, maybe not… Only on one condition," she amended, cocking her head adorably to the side and looking at him shrewdly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? An' what might dat be?"

"How about we do this again sometime?" the girl asked shyly, looking at him with hopeful eyes.

The Cajun grinned – did he already have her hooked? He had to admit, he was impressed with his skill, because he certainly hasn't been expecting to win her over so soon. "I'd love t'," he told her, bowing slightly and catching her hand in his.

"Great," she beamed, staring at him for a few seconds. Then she seemed to shake herself back to reality, and stepped towards her door. "Well, goodnight…"

"Goodnight," he purred, bending his head down and planting a gentlemanly kiss on her hand. Looking up at her with hooded eyes, he thought he noticed a disappointed expression cross her face for a split second – but perhaps he only imagined it, because then she gave him one last smile and entered her bedroom.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Remy then sauntered back to his own room, fighting the urge to whistle cheerfully so as not to wake anyone. Despite the ease, the night had gone quite well – it would most assuredly get more interesting from here on out, and he was eager to see for how long he could keep up his pursuit.

* * *

And so the games begin! I wonder how far he'll be able to take this. Shall we take bets?

**Next chapter** – Carol gets even more smitten over Remy, and he asks her to keep a secret…

Well, now that exams are done and school's out, perhaps I'll have more time to write! The key word being 'perhaps'… I'm thinking that reviews would motivate me a great deal and speed up the process, so send 'em on over, pretty please!

Toodles,

– ish –


	5. Secret

**Disclaimer:** The disclaimer is trying to tell you that I don't own the X-Men, and it's annoyed at having to repeat itself…

**A/N:** Look ma, an update!

Calliann, demiducky25, Shockgoddess, Rogue14, A Denial, darkstorm5000, AnalisDestiny, jade, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, xmengirlzrule, enchantedlight, & Sweety8587: Hugs and kisses to all my darling reviewers! Actually, just one or the other – I think both is asking too much. :-)

Neurotic Temptress: I know, I know, shame on me for a Romyless chapter. But hey, at least Remy had fleeting thoughts about Rogue, does that count? I hope that's enough to sustain you, since here's yet another chapter without her (well, her mind, at least – her body's still present!). I'm horrible, but believe me, it hurts me too.

Minnaloushe: Puh-leeze, comparing Riley and Remy? That's like comparing squishy, mouldy, rotten apples to ripe, juicy, genetically-enhanced seedless oranges. As for Carol pulling a Faith… Well, I said that I wouldn't be that cruel as to go through with it, but I never said she wouldn't try it. ;-)

SweetRevenge151: 'Lothario' is such a great word! And I miss Rogue too – writing Carol really isn't all that fun. But my opinion might change later, when things get stickier for the lot of them… dun dun duhh.

missy42: Hah, I think it's pretty much the consensus on the review board that Remy is indeed an idiot, but a damn hot one. For the record, I agree! Woah – you _want_ Belle to show up? Blasphemy! Although I can't promise she won't… So don't you fret, things won't be too easy for the Cajun – he'll find himself in a pickle soon enough.

TheDreamerLady: Yup, I'm well aware of that fact. I'm just not at liberty to discuss it… ;-)

Lady Aurra: Keep it Carol/Remy? Don't worry! If I did, I'd _definitely_ let you kill me – after I killed _myself_ first.

Seven Sunningdale: Your review cracked me up, specifically telling Carol to eat meat. Yes, _damn_ her vegetarianism! Glad you're enjoying her blandness, that's what I was going for – even though some negativity will definitely pop up eventually. But what's this? "_You need to be quicker about the updates if you're gonna keep each chapter this annoyingly suspenseful_"? Might I direct the same question at you, missy? ;-)

simba317: Holy long review, Batman! I appreciate it though, so thanks – it means a lot that someone would take so much time to comment on my fic so thoroughly. And wow, you were really spot on with practically everything you mentioned! Although slightly off about a few things, but I won't tell you which ones, cuz then where's the fun in that? Bwa ha ha!

EE's Skysong: Reviewer #100, huzzah! I hope I didn't offend you with the crazy vegetarian comment – it's not my personal opinion, I just figured the thought might cross Remy's mind. Not that it means he wouldn't like you! ;-)

Freak87: Nope, no control for Roguey – that'd make things way too easy, wouldn't it?

Eileen Blazer: Well, afterlife Eileen certainly is quick with the reviewing! It's hard to decide which Eileen I like better… After all, it's very impressive, what with being the very first reviewer after I posted the new chappy. Cheers to that. ;-)

Sorry folks, I know nobody here really wants it, but here's one more chapter with Carol. It's setting the groundwork for some really juicy stuff later though, so do you think you could all grin and bear it? Huh? For lil' ol' me?

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 5 – Secret**

**_March 2005_**

A few evenings later, when Remy picked Carol up at her bedroom once more, she opened her door and gasped. He often liked to think that he took a girl's breath away, but after taking in his scuffed black boots, dark jeans, and navy blue shirt, she wailed, "Crap!"

"What?" he questioned, confused. He looked down at his ensemble and couldn't discern anything wrong with it, except for it not having prompted the impressed reaction he had hoped for.

"We're _matching_!" Carol groaned pointedly, as if he should have already noticed the situation.

The Cajun gazed over her wardrobe choice for the night – she was wearing a pair of heeled black boots, dark blue jeans, and a soft navy sweater. He chuckled, realizing it did indeed look like they had coordinated things. Perhaps great minds really did think alike?

"This is so embarrassing, we look like twins!" she cried when he didn't seem to find anything wrong with the circumstances.

"So?" he asked, utterly perplexed. When Carol's eyes narrowed at his lackadaisical response, he winced, realizing too late that he had crossed the border into the mysterious and nonsensical female world, full of inane rules and regulations.

"So? Well, aside from the fact that it'd be kind of incestuous, I'm not going out looking like my date and I coordinated our outfits! That's way too lame," she scowled, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a fashion disaster. I have to change."

"What? _Non_, really, it's not dat big a deal!" he insisted, grabbing her gloved hand and trying to gently haul her out of the room. "Come on, or we'll be late f'r de movie!"

Pulling her hand from his, Carol shook her head firmly. "Nope, I've gotta change. I'll be two seconds, I swear!" she insisted.

"Just come on…" the impatient thief sighed.

"Please?" she pouted, jutting her bottom lip out and widening her big blue eyes.

Wishing he wasn't so weak willed when it came to the opposite sex, Remy just couldn't resist that look – especially when it was on a face like hers. "Fine! But seriously, _two seconds_."

"Two seconds!" she promised, rushing back into her room and slamming the door.

Taking out a deck of cards and absentmindedly shuffling them, Remy hoped that she wasn't like every other girl he had met – the kind that took forever to get ready, pick their outfits, coordinate accessories, and do whatever other enigmatic rituals women had to perform before going out. It wouldn't be good if they were late for the movies – he had no other plans for the evening, and he certainly didn't want to take Carol out to dinner again, where he would most likely be bombarded by more of her prodding questions. No, a movie was _much_ safer – they involved much less conversation.

It was ten minutes later when the door finally opened again, by which time he was sitting on the floor playing his fourth game of solitaire. Now Carol stepped out wearing black jeans, a yellow t-shirt under her denim jacket, and a sheepish smile. "Sorry I took so long…"

Trying to dismiss his annoyance, the Cajun just shrugged, putting his cards away and getting to his feet. "S'okay. Not like I can blame a _femme_ f'r wantin' t' look her best f'r me, henh?"

The girl just giggled, hooked her arm in his proffered one, and they walked down the hall together. When they reached the garage, Remy grabbed his helmet and handed a spare one to Carol, who just looked at it confusedly. "What's that for?"

"Well, I couldn' uh, _borrow_ Scott's car t'night, so we're goin' t' have t' take my bike. Figured y'd want a helmet," he explained, strapping his own on.

"Your bike?" she repeated unsurely, eyeing at his prized possession with an apprehensive look on her face.

"What, y've never been on a motorcycle befo'?" he asked her. He hoped the answer was no, because he could really use that to his advantage…

"Never," she confirmed, tentatively stepping a bit closer to the vehicle, almost as if she were worried it would come alive and snap at her.

"Well, don't y' worry, it's perfectly safe. 'M a very careful driver, 'specially wit' such precious cargo."

"You'd better be," Carol glared jokingly, slightly appeased but still looking a tad wary.

"It'll be fine," he continued to assure her. "B'sides, y're invulnerable, 'member? Not'in' will happen."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she nodded, feeling more confident about the transportation arrangement after recalling that fact. Then her eyes lit up and she tossed the helmet back at Remy. "I guess that means I won't need that! Which is good, it might've ruined my hair…"

He moved to put the helmet away, rolling his eyes while his back was to Carol. Then he walked over to his bike, straddled it, and patted the space behind him. "Hop on."

She looked at him eagerly, beamed, and quickly complied. Remy couldn't help but revel in the feeling of her intimately pressed up against his back, but something was still missing… So he quickly started his bike, gunned the engine, and took off down the driveway without warning. The girl shrieked shrilly in fright, but the actions prompted the desired results – she instantly moved in even nearer, wrapping her arms snugly around his midsection, and he grinned.

As wonderful as it was to have her so close to him like that, the ride had to end eventually, and they arrived at the cinema much too soon for Remy's liking – even after he had purposely taken the longer route. Carol reluctantly climbed off the bike that had seemingly won her over, and the thief followed.

Entering the lobby, the duo glanced over all the posters. "What do y' want t' see, _ma jolie_ (my pretty)?"

"I don't know… I haven't seen many commercials for the last month since I've been stuck in Rogue's mind, so I have no idea what these movies are even about," she reminded him.

"Well, how 'bout dat one?" he mused, seemingly pointing to one at random.

"Nahh, that looks lame."

"But y' don' even know what it's about!"

"Yeah, but I can tell from the poster. Besides, it's a comic book adaptation, isn't it? I'm not really into comics."

"Okay," was all Remy said, not really dissuaded. Keeping with his plan, he then gestured to another poster. "Dat one den?"

"What? No way, that looks way too scary!" the girl protested.

"Please?" he coaxed her, now his turn to pout. "It really won' be dat bad, especially wit' me right dere beside y' de whole time… An' I've been wantin' t' see it."

That was an outright lie, but it did the trick. She reluctantly agreed, apparently able to resist his pout about as much as he had been hers, and he went to pay for both of their tickets. He even bribed her further with popcorn and drinks before they settled into their seats and waited for the film to start. After it did, and the lights dimmed around them, Remy spent most of the time watching his date's face instead of the movie – but it was an overpriced ticket well spent. The way the light and shadows danced on the planes of Rogue's (no, _Carol's_) face was entrancing.

He was a bit disappointed when she took off her gloves to eat the popcorn easier. Damn, there went the stereotypical 'put your hand in the popcorn at the same time as your date and brush your fingers together' move he had strategized… But that was fine, he always had backup tactics, just in case.

Some time into the film, Remy slowly began to lean towards her, slyly putting his arm around the back of her chair. After she was startled at a surprising moment, he moved it down, gently resting it around her shoulders. She glanced over at him and shyly smiled before turning her attention back to the screen – but not before leaning in even closer to him, huddling up to his side. The Cajun couldn't help the smug look that crossed his face, his manoeuvres working excellently tonight. Especially since Carol practically jumped into his lap at all the scary parts…

As they left the theatre amidst the chattering mob of other patrons, Carol suddenly whacked Remy firmly on the arm.

"Oww, what was dat f'r?" he whined indignantly, rubbing the throbbing spot.

"You said it wouldn't be that scary, you jerk!" she glared. Her hands were on her hips in an annoyed fashion, but he could tell that she wasn't really that angry – no, after all, it gave her the perfect excuse to snuggle up close to him. Not that she even needed an excuse, of course – he'd be glad to comply with that request at any time.

"'M _so_ sorry," he beseeched dramatically, taking her hand. "How can I ever make it up t' y'?"

She tittered, her fake irritation forgotten. "Well, next time we'll see the movie _I_ want," she declared firmly.

"Fine," he groaned playfully as they walked back outside, it taking a few seconds to register that he had unwittingly agreed to another date.

"Great!" Carol exclaimed at his acceptance, as they mounted the motorcycle once more.

"Yeah, great," Remy mumbled, wondering where the feeling of accomplishment was. However, as the girl placed her arms around him once more, he shook his head and focused on those sensations instead. He had to keep himself amused somehow, and they would most certainly do the trick.

- X -

**_3 and a half weeks later…_**

One more dinner date and two other movies (which, to Remy's abject horror, were both intensely girly romantic tear-jerkers) led the duo to the end of the month, and gave the Cajun some sense of satisfaction. As dusk fell, he stood outside in the garden, taking in the brisk evening and contemplating his current conquest.

Using his power to charge the tip of the cigarette, he brought it to his lips and inhaled the soothing smoke into his lungs. He then calmly exhaled, scrutinizing the wisps billowing from his mouth that joined the steam that simply came from breathing out into the cool night air. As he watched the vapours dance up and slowly dissipate, he considered that it had barely taken any effort to woo her. He was proud of that fact, that all it took for a woman to succumb to his charms was a few well-timed compliments and some simpering looks. After reflecting upon that, however, his contentment began to wane just the slightest bit – it almost seemed a bit too effortless for Remy's liking... Or was that just because he had previously accustomed himself to Rogue's constant and resolute rejections?

Frowning and taking another puff, he brushed those thoughts away. The ease so far was inconsequential – the real challenge was still to come, with attempting to find a way to win over Rogue, and then juggling her and Carol. It was a venture he was more than willing to undertake – for what better testament to his skills would there be, he grinned to himself.

"You look happy," a feminine voice suddenly spoke up from behind him. "What are you thinking about?"

"You," Remy answered truthfully for once, turning to face Carol, staring at her from behind wafting smoke as she walked down the stone path.

She smiled, pleased, as she moved towards him, stopping at his side. The girl then gazed up at him, a pensive look on her face that Remy thought was rather adorable. Before he could reciprocate and ask what she was thinking about, her hand swiftly plucked the cigarette away from his lips and placed it between her own.

The thief watched curiously as she inhaled deeply, released the smoke through slightly puckered lips, and made a contended sound. "Y' smoke?"

"Occasionally." She raised and then dropped her shoulders coolly, looking at him askance. "Nobody else in the mansion does except for Wolverine, but he's only got cigars, which aren't really my thing, so it's hard to get my hands on a pack."

"Ahh, I see, so y're only usin' me f'r my cigarettes," Remy teased her, putting a hurt expression on his face and clutching at his heart in a melodramatic fashion.

"Don't worry, hon," she laughed, taking another drag. "I think I'd probably keep you around anyway."

"Good t' know," he chuckled.

They lapsed into a silence as Carol worked on finishing the cigarette, Remy watching her intently. It was amazing how a tiny stick of paper and tobacco could enhance her sexiness so much, and he found himself unable to pull his stare away. The way she perched it between her index and middle fingers, how her luscious lips encased it, how she tilted her head back when she blew the smoke out, exposing her long, ivory neck…

The Cajun couldn't stop his imagination from running away with the image. Before he knew it, his mind had adorned her in a sleek black silk dress and put a cigarette holder in her hand, like the classy dames from film noir, or the classic era of Hollywood… He then shook his head, dissolving the idea as his nagging mind pointed out a pesky inconsistency.

"Hey, Rogue don't smoke, does she?" he questioned abruptly.

Carol blinked, looking over at him with a raised eyebrow. "I don't know. I've never asked."

"'M pretty sure she don't," he insisted, thinking back to one of her countless rebuffs – she mentioned something about him going off to poison his lungs so she would be rid of him permanently…

"So?" the girl commented, unconcerned. "It's just one little cig, it's not like it'll kill her. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Well, she might not like y' doin' dat," Remy pointed out.

Her lips pursed and her blue eyes narrowed the slightest bit, which he recognized as signs of her impending irritation. "Well, as of right now, this is my body and I'd like to finish this cigarette, okay?"

"'Kay," he allowed, shrugging and quieting once more, not wanting to pursue the troublesome topic.

A few seconds later Carol dropped the cigarette to the ground, stomping out the dying embers with the heel of her boot. She took a deep breath, appearing to calm down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Dat's fine. I'd t'ink it's natural t' have some frustration in yo' situation."

"I know, but I didn't come out here to be bitchy to you," she sighed, running her hands through her hair. "I came out to find you and saw you smoking, and it's just been forever since I've had one, and I figured I could use something to relax me before I head back into my little prison…"

"Dat's fine, I understand. So why were y' lookin' f'r me, anyway?" he asked, swiftly attempting to redirect the conversation towards less serious subject matter.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," she revealed, looking down at her coat and fiddling nervously with a button.

"Okay, 'bout what?" he enquired, his interest piqued.

"Well…" Carol began apprehensively, still fidgeting.

"Hey, relax," Remy soothed, taking her hands in his and squeezing them reassuringly. Keeping his hold on them, he led her over to the bench nearby, pulling her down to sit beside him. "Y' can tell me, don't worry."

"Okay," she nodded. "Well, I probably should've brought this up sooner, but I'm a bit worried about this whole situation with regards to our dating."

At her last word, Remy's ears perked up. Dating? Was that what they were doing, was that the point they were at now? He had never actually 'dated' anyone, preferring to migrate from one girl to the next, so he had no idea what sort of timing actually constituted as dating… But hey, if they were doing so, that was fine with him – it was simply phase one of his master plan enacted, and he was rather pleased with himself at how quickly he had managed to implement it.

He was internally beaming at his thoughts, but then realizing that Carol was still talking, he forced his attention to her once more.

"I just figured I should mention this now, since I'm switching back with Rogue tonight, and I'll be gone for a month. I'm not some naïve little girl – I know not many guys would want to start a relationship under these circumstances, or they might not want to continue it for long –"

"Hey, don't even begin t' t'ink like dat," Remy interrupted her, preparing to tell her what she wanted to hear.

She sighed. "It's hard not to."

"Listen, Carol, don' worry. I know it's a strange situation, an' I'll miss y' when y're gone, but I'll still be here when y' come back," he soothed her.

He didn't think it was possible, but the adoration in her eyes managed to increase. "Really?" she breathed, as if not daring to believe him.

"O' course," he replied assuredly. "Y're worth it, henh?" 'Well, worth de satisfaction o' a challenge completed, dat is,' he then thought to himself.

"You are just too sweet," she gushed enthusiastically, beaming.

"I just speak de truth," he replied, trying for modesty. "Dere's not exactly anybody else dat I'd want t' spend my time wit' 'round here, is dere?" 'Except f'r Rogue, o' course…'

Carol sidled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I appreciate that _so_ much. Not many guys would be this wonderful, you know."

"I guess Remy's just one o' a kind," he smirked, putting his arm around her. 'I wonder if it'd really be considered cheatin' if I'm technically goin' after de same body…'

"Definitely," she agreed, sighing contentedly. "Thanks for putting my mind at ease."

"No problem," he replied. Stillness then descended as they looked out over the dark garden. While nothing was spoken out loud between them, Remy's mind was being filled with questions. He decided that now would be a good time to get some of them answered. "Hey, Carol, if y' don't mind, could y' tell me a bit about yo' switch? I mean, how do y' do it?"

"Uh, it's kinda hard to explain. It's one of those 'you have to be there' things," she started, pulling away slightly to sit up straighter, but not looking at him.

"Humour me," he pressed. "'M curious. If I wanna know y', I need t' know what y' go through, henh?"

"Once again you amaze me with your sweetness," Carol murmured, shaking her head in admiration. Then gazing at the ground, she took a few seconds to determine what to say. "Well, at the end of the month we go to bed like normal. While we sleep, we enter our subconscious, where we make the switch. We find the other girl, get caught up on what happened during the month, and then one of us goes deeper into the subconscious while the other leaves it, waking up like normal the next morning and back in control. That's basically it, in a really tiny nutshell."

"Wow," he commented, and then tried to act as nonchalant as possible with posing his next query. "Wait, y' said y' had to catch each ot'er up on what happened durin' yo' month? So does dat mean dat y' don' know anyt'in' de ot'er did while y' were gone?"

He held his breath as she answered. "Yeah, while we're in the mind we're completely oblivious to what the girl in charge is up to. That's why we fill each other in on what we did during the month, so the person taking over isn't completely confused."

Remy felt extremely relieved at hearing those words – this ensured that his little game would proceed much smoother. He probably should've clarified it before he started, seeing as it could have brought everything to a crashing halt, but he was codenamed Gambit for a reason. Risks made everything that much more interesting…

But he wasn't exactly suicidal, so he asked, "Well, when y're tellin' Rogue 'bout dis month, do y' t'ink y' could do me a favour?"

She examined him inquisitively. "Of course! Name it."

"Um, I was wonderin' if y' could possibly leave out de fact dat we're datin'," the thief told her, putting on a worried tone. "Just keep it a secret. Y' know, since Rogue don't really like me dat much, I don' want her makin' trouble f'r y' if she finds out about dis."

"You know what, that's probably a good idea – it'll be our little secret. She really doesn't need to know about us…" Carol consented, and then smiled warmly. "You're so great for looking out for me like this."

"Don' mention it," he waved it off, but then continued on for some extra insurance. "Although speakin' o' lookin' out f'r y', mebbe y' shouldn' tell de rest o' de X-Men 'bout us neither. Dey might not be too fond o' it, so we should probably just let 'em t'ink we're friends."

"You're right. They're so overprotective of Rogue, especially when I'm in control. I don't think they grasp the fact that this is my body now too!" she complained, aggravated, stomping a foot down on the stone pathway.

"Hey, relax," Remy calmed her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her consolingly. "Dey'll come around. Just takes some time t' get used to de situation, dat's all."

"Well, you got used to it pretty fast," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but Remy's absolutely perfect in every possible way, so o' course he did," he winked at her.

She giggled, leaning back into his form. "You always manage to make me feel better, you know that?"

"'M glad."

They hushed for the next few minutes, until Carol let out a yawn. He looked down at her, watching as she tried to cover her wide-open mouth, and he warmed at the adorable sight.

"I guess that's my cue to get to sleep," she mused before another yawn erupted. Then placing her hand over Remy's lips, she blushed furiously as she kissed the back of her fingers, blocking her skin from direct contact with his. "See you next month, hon."

"See y' next month," he repeated, watching as she walked away, looking back over her shoulder every few feet to see him still staring at her.

When she had gone far enough along the path to where it twisted so that she was no longer in his view, he shook his head. Swinging his legs onto the stone bench and stretching out, he lay back with his arms behind his head. He watched the stars above with a self-congratulatory smirk on his face, wondering what tomorrow and his continued wooing of Rogue would bring.

* * *

Phew, lucky Remy, with Rogue not knowing what he's up to! Looks like he's been saved a trip to the med lab… And finally, done with the annoyingness that is Carol! Well, for now, at least.

**Next chapter** – Rogue's back! And the Cajun tries a strategy other than arrogant flirting to win her over!

Okay, slightly bad news, people. Looks like I'm stuck working this summer, as well as taking 2 summer courses – which means I won't have the amount of free time to work on this that I had expected. Don't worry though! I'll still be updating – just not any quicker, like I had thought. I'm sorry, don't hurt me! But you know, I'm sure lots of nice reviews would hurry things along…

Toodles,

– ish –


	6. Friends

**Disclaimer:** The characters still haven't magically become mine…

**A/N:** Wow, two updates in one week! You should all consider yourselves lucky I was so productive. ;-)

Rogue14, heartsyhawk, Freak87, Shockgoddess, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, howlerdrode, dorkuslove, xmengirlzrule, enchantedlight, EE's Skysong, Sweety8587, grenwich, Tiny, Swasti, wildcardrose, & TheDreamerLady: Because you reviewed / I was so happy, huzzah / Have a nice haiku.

Minnaloushe: Wow, reading my fic on the bus? Now that's dedication! I heart Spike, by the way. Mmm, that accent… I'm such a sucker for sarcastic British guys – I think that explains my fondness for Pete Wisdom and Jono Starsmore.

Seven Sunningdale: If you thought reading Carol was irritating, try writing her! Definitely bland… she's like rice, plain and tasteless. The obliviousness is definitely needed, plus it opens the door for much more sneakiness and secrets! Too bad Rogue couldn't just split halfsies with Carol over the entire course of her life – like, she'd take the good years, say to about 40, and then Carol can have the body when it's all old and wrinkly… but somehow I don't think she'd go for that.

darkstorm5000: I think the consensus is that readers either feel sorry for Carol and pity her a bit, or they're outright annoyed by her – I can understand both, frankly. So I guess she's kind of in a grey area. For the moment, at least… ;-)

SweetRevenge151: Robert Smith country? Keep your eyes peeled for his big hair, and if you see him, dear Lord, you _must_ jump him, kiss him, _and_ get an autographed photo for me! And then start writing more fics! I'd love you forever…

Neurotic Temptress: Sorry about the Carol chapter, but it had to be done – damn the bunnies for forcing me to stick to that thing called a "plot". To make it up to you, have some nice, long, fun Rogue chapters! Glad you like my annoying, ditzy Carol, that's what I was going for. Except that you don't exactly _like_ her so much as you don't care for her, but it's not that you don't care for her, as in the writing, it's that you don't care for _her_, the character… Yeah, I just confused myself there, but I think I got it.

simba317: I'm _so_ with you on Rogue and Remy having to be together, and the smiting! And wow, once again you're completely right with the majority of your other comments – great minds really do think alike. Maybe we're brain-mates or something – like soul mates, only with our thoughts…

A Denial: I don't mind you analyzing Remy's character – in fact, you're right, he _is_ pretty shifty right now. It's not exactly meant to be cute, in fact, I'll just come right out and say it – he's being an asshole (pretty much everyone can agree on that), but I think it's keeping to his character, especially before he falls for Rogue. I know how you feel, being slightly uncomfortable with him that way – when I read some fics, I feel the exact same! It's weird, perhaps I don't feel it now since I know what's to come... Let me reassure you, he won't be this way forever. I have my reasons for him starting out kinda immoral – not only does it make the story more interesting, I also wanted to experiment with a shadier Remy for once, instead of the more fluffy stuff I've done before.

chicita: Personally, I always found comic Carol irritating, but she really wasn't too naïve and ditzy. This character is just a teenager though, so she'd have to be a bit different, not having gone through all the things (the CIA, the Air Force, personal tragedies, etc.) that made comic Carol who she was.

missy42: Wow, I'm the finale to Tori Amos and luaus? Yay, I feel special! I had to laugh at your scenario about Rogue being happy for Carol and Remy. It actually intrigued me, and I was contemplating sticking in something like that, but it wouldn't quite work, which is too bad. That really would've boggled Remy's mind…

demiducky25: Methinks you're spot on!

Calliann: Sorry, naked Remy didn't seem to fit in the chapter! Maybe if they went to a strip club, not a movie theatre. And now I have to fantasize about a stripping Remy… Okay, I'm good now. Don't worry, I'll see what I can do – maybe in a few more chapters, the opportunities are already being thought up. Well, with whatever brain matter isn't preoccupied with a naked Remy, that is…

Eileen Blazer: We really need to figure out a better system to track the references with, like maybe with scorecards or something. Or referees! Hah, Reference Referees, I think the alliteration makes it all the better. Don't think about their matching as being on the same wavelength, instead just focus on how vain and shallow Carol was, that should make you feel better. And I'm _definitely_ with you on the tittering!

Well, since you all have been so patiently awaiting Rogue's return, here you are! And in a nice long chapter too. Enjoy!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 6 – Friends **

**_April 2005_**

After a month of being deprived of any physical sensation, the heat of sunlight streaming in through the window and resting on her face was a welcome feeling for Rogue.

She opened her eyes cautiously, only to quickly shut them when the harsh light infiltrated. Giving up and burrowing her head deeper into her pillows, the girl let out a deep, contented sigh, savouring the warmth and peacefulness that came with slowly and lazily waking. The sense was even more welcome today, the first day of the month, as she stretched out like a sunning cat, loving having control over her body once more.

Rogue had to admit that it was rather nice to get away from everything for a while, to just hole up in her mind and relax, away from the hustle and bustle of life in the mansion… She certainly felt well rested afterwards, but she supposed that not really doing much for thirty or so days would do that to a person. It was just too bad that it had to come about due to such a strange and unpleasant situation.

Shaking her head and sitting up, Rogue tried not to think about circumstances that were beyond her control. Instead, she focused on working the kinks out of her muscles, enjoying the tingling in her limbs as she tumbled out of bed and walked around, getting used to having actual motor functions once more.

A knock at the door interrupted her, and she went over to open it. On the other side stood a joyful Kurt and a bouncy Kitty, and Rogue couldn't help but smile as well. "Hey guys," she greeted her friend and her brother.

"Rogue!" the younger girl squealed and the blue elf shouted, both prepared to pounce on her with a tight hug, before the Southerner warningly shot her bare hands out in front of her.

"Woah, easy there!" Rogue stopped them reluctantly, gesturing at all the uncovered skin she had exposed in the tank top she was wearing. "Ah don't think y'all wanna start yer day off with a coma."

"Oh, sorry," Kitty apologized, dropping her arms to her side. "I didn't even notice, I'm just so happy you're back!"

"You're not ze only one," Kurt added.

"Ah'm glad to be back." Moving over to her closet and pulling out a sweatshirt, she yanked it on and then turned back to her teammates, who could now safely move in to hug her.

They wrapped her in their arms at the same time, murmuring an "I missed you Rogue", and an "I missed you, _meine Schwester_ (my sister)."

"Ah missed you too, Kit. You too, bro, but do we have ta go through all this touchy-feely stuff? It's gettin' a bit too mushy fo' mah likin'."

When they moved apart Kitty tried to put on a smile, but couldn't fight her frown. "You know, we keep doing this, like, every month. I asked Carol if she could maybe cover up a bit more, just on the night she switches back with you, but I guess she didn't listen."

Rogue shrugged. "It's not that big a deal… She definitely seems like the risqué lingerie type, so Ah'm just glad she ain't prancin' around in a see-through negligee or somethin'."

Kurt looked appalled at the thought, while the other girl just giggled. "I wouldn't put it past her! And I'm sure some of the guys would enjoy that – especially Remy."

"What's that supposed ta mean?" Rogue asked suspiciously, sitting down on her bed.

"Come on, I didn't miss all those looks he gave you last month," Kitty pointed out, plopping down beside her. "And the looks he gave your body this past month too."

Kurt growled protectively, sitting on the other side of his sister. "Remind me to port him into ze lake if he keeps it up."

"No, no, no!" Rogue suddenly hollered, shaking her head firmly. "Ah've just had a nice, calm month without that swamp rat, Ah do _not _wanna talk about him right now! Talk about _anythin'_ else, please!"

"Fine," Kitty pouted, disappointed at the missed opportunity to tease her friend, but an excited grin soon emerged as a much more important thought came to mind. "Ooh, you missed the _best_ thing ever! I jumped on Piotr in a Danger Room session!"

As soon as Kurt heard those words he fell back on the bed, covering his face with his hands, knowing it was a futile attempt to interrupt his friend when she began to gush about her crush.

"What?" Rogue cried, flabbergasted. "Yah jumped Piotr? Finally, it's about time yah made a move!"

The other girl blushed furiously, scandalized. "Rogue, I can't believe you! I didn't _jump_ Piotr, I jumped _on_ Piotr, so I could phase him from Magneto's control! Honestly, jump him? I wouldn't do that…" she trailed off, muttering indignantly.

"Relax, Kit, Ah know, Ah'm just teasin'. But mah Gawd, lemme guess – it was probably th' highlight o' yer life, right?" the older mutant chuckled.

"Oh, it _totally_ was!" Kitty squealed. "He's like, _all_ muscle! You could probably, like, grate cheese on his abs or something. I wonder how long he works out, maybe I can spy on him in the gym or something, or ask if he needs a spotter, or…"

Rogue just grinned to herself as the other girl rambled on, amused at her giddiness and at Kurt's embarrassment at Kitty's rather creative descriptions of certain parts of the Russian's anatomy. Despite the calm she had in her mind, she really did miss parts of Institute life, and it was good to be back.

- X -

After catching up with her friends and changing out of Carol's skimpy sleepwear, Rogue headed downstairs, her growling stomach leading her towards the kitchen. It felt like she hadn't eaten a proper meal in weeks – and while technically _she_ hadn't, Carol certainly had access to food, but that didn't stop the Southern gal from wanting a nice, hearty breakfast.

Turning the corner to enter the kitchen, however, ran her smack dab into Remy LeBeau, causing her to let out another growl – although this time it emanated from her mouth instead of her stomach, and was due to animosity instead of hunger.

Remy didn't seem to notice – or if he did, he ignored it. Instead, his eyes lit up and he grinned. "_Chère_!" he exclaimed happily. "Good t' see y'! I missed y' while y' were on yo' little mental health getaway, y' know."

He reached for her now gloved hand, undoubtedly to perform his cheesy action of planting a kiss on it, so Rogue pulled out of his grasp before he could do so. "Too bad Ah can't say th' same," she scowled, sidestepping him and starting her search for some food.

"Aww, y' don't have t' lie, Rogue," he laughed, crossing his arms and leaning against a counter. "I know y' were pro'ly dreamin' o' dis handsome Cajun de entire time."

"Ah think _yah're_ th' one that's dreamin' now, swamp rat," she scoffed, digging through the refrigerator, oblivious to his stares as he watched her lean over.

"Well, dat is a possibility," he mused. "After all, when I dream, all I see is yo' beauty…"

She emerged from the fridge with a bag of bagels in her hand and a disbelieving expression on her face. "Lordy, do yah ever quit?"

"Where'd de fun in dat be?" he chuckled, enjoying her exasperation. After she heaved a frustrated sigh, he continued. "Say, mind if I ask y' somet'in'?"

"Yes."

"Why didn' y' mention yo' situation wit' Carol t' me?" he asked, his tone serious for once as he pinned her with an inquisitive gaze.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why did yah even bother tryin' ta get my permission fo' the question if yah're just gonna ask it anyways?"

He ignored her. "Well? Why didn't y' explain it?"

Rogue frowned, looking away. "Wasn't any o' yer business, Cajun."

"_Au contraire, ma chère_ (To the contrary, my dear)," Remy pointed out. "We're team mates, if not'in' else. Dat gives me a right t' know, _non_?"

She bristled. "First o' all, swamp rat, we are _just_ team mates, _definitely_ nothin' else, but that still doesn't give yah any rights ta mah personal life! An' secondly, when th' hell could Ah have told yah? Durin' all those sincere heart-ta-hearts we always had between yer endless flirtin' an' innuendoes?" Rogue uttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Remy took in her words and to her surprise, didn't deny her statements. "Well, y're right," he said, lifting a shoulder. "But still, it would've been nice t' tell me."

"Well, yah're right," she repeated, staring at him frostily "It would've been nice. So then why would Ah do it?"

"Hey, now don't try t' scare me off wit' yo' supposed cruelty, _chère_. I know y're not really a mean _fille_ – after all, if y' were, y' wouldn't share dat _belle_ body o' yo's wit' Carol," he informed her.

Rogue turned away from him, pulling a bagel out of the bag and shoving it into the toaster oven. "Don't try an' analyze meh, swamp rat, Ah guarantee yah'll be wrong." She always hated it when people attempted to figure her out.

"Mebbe," he conceded. "But dat doesn't mean I won't take a shot at it, an' it doesn't mean dat 'm not curious about all dis."

"Yah can be curious all yah want, that doesn't mean Ah'll help solve that."

"Figured dat, but I don't give up dat easy," he grinned cockily, and proceeded to prove it. "De t'ing 'm wonderin' most about is _why_."

"Why? Why what?" Rogue questioned before she could even stop herself from egging him on.

"Why do y' share yo' body wit' Carol?" Gambit elaborated.

Rogue glowered at him, and then began pacing across the kitchen floor. "Oh no, don't go there. Ah'm _sick_ o' everyone sayin' that Ah shouldn't have ta do it, that Ah'm not under any obligations, blah blah blah. It's just somethin' Ah feel Ah have ta do it, okay? An' if yah say anythin' about meh _not_ havin' ta do it, Ah'll use Carol's powers an' throw yah to th' moon!"

"Well, dat prompts anot'er question," he realized, moving straight past her threat, much to Rogue's disappointment. Was she losing her touch? "Why don't y' use her powers? Dey'd come in pretty handy, henh?"

She shook her head. "Ah don't like ta use 'em, Ah'd feel too guilty for enjoyin' 'em. Besides, Carol hates meh enough already – Ah don't need ta give her another reason, seein' meh as benefitin' from her death."

"Wow," Remy blinked. "Dat's noble o' y'."

"Whatever," Rogue mumbled, running her hands through her hair and looking away, out the window. "Ah didn't do it fo' yer approval. …Look, can we just stop talkin' about this already?"

"Yeah, sure. Sorry _chère_," he apologized, and the Goth was surprised at the fact that it actually seemed genuine. "Just wanted t' know mo' about de whole situation, dat's all. Figured y'd like t' give me yo' point o' view on t'ings."

She froze, and then whipped around to glare at him. "Mah point o' view?" she repeated quietly, but her voice growing louder and angrier with each passing word. "What do yah mean, 'mah point o' view'? There's only _one _point o' view, an' that's what really happened!"

"Woah, easy dere!" the Cajun cried, raising his hands in a peaceful gesture and taking a few steps towards her, trying to explain. "'M sorry, _chère_, I didn' mean t' upset y', an' I didn' mean dat y' were lyin' or not'in'. 'S just dat when Carol was talkin' t' me about all dis, she blamed y' f'r it, an' didn' exactly paint y' in de most favourable light."

Rogue took a deep breath, rubbing her hands over her temples, trying to calm down. "Yeah, well, Ah can't say Ah really blame her fo' feelin' that way. After all, Ah did take her life away from her, even though it was an accident."

"Believe me, I figured dat out wit'out anybody havin' t' tell me."

"Look, Ah really don't wanna talk about this," she firmly stated, shaking her head. Her day had barely started and already she was wishing it were over and done with. "Ah think about all this enough, an' Ah pity mahself about it when Ah'm stuck in mah mind, so Ah'd really rather spend this time actually _living_."

Not noticing the rather guilty expression on Remy's face, or caring that her bagel wasn't done, Rogue turned on her heel and stalked out of the kitchen, her appetite gone.

- X -

Remy watched Rogue leave the room distressed, and for once didn't receive the sense of amusement that came with angering his fellow Southerner. Instead, he almost felt… bad? It was clear she was hurting, and he honestly didn't mean to drudge up all those unpleasant feelings.

As the timer went off on the toaster oven with a pleasant 'ding!', he realized something – Rogue wasn't like other girls. Well, that much was obvious, what with her stunning looks and unique situation, but it was her rueful and distrusting nature he would have to pay more attention to. Perhaps it was time to rethink his approach…

She wasn't like Carol, who could be wooed with a few flirtatious comments. In fact, those seemed to repel Rogue, urging her to respond with bitter rebuttals and cutting insults. The two girls were essentially polar opposites, sitting on opposite ends of the spectrum, or more likely, residing on opposite ends of the universe – one a friendly, vivacious, all-American girl, the other a sarcastic, sullen, and moody Goth.

Following that logic, contrary tactics would need to be implemented. If romance and flirting attracted Carol, they would only alienate Rogue. Instead of those methods, perhaps friendship would be the first step with her?

Remy frowned, suddenly very disheartened. That would probably be easier said than done…

- X -

**_A few days later…_**

It had all been planned out – he would find Rogue, apologize for upsetting her, apologize again for having continuously harassed her, and then put forward his proposition of friendship. He had even practised various facial expressions in front of the mirror to determine which looked the most earnest, and he had rehearsed the words he would say to find the speech that sounded the most sincere. "I just wanted t' say 'm sorry, an' ask if we could be friends. _Non_, dat's too abrupt… I'm _really_ sorry, _chère_, an' I was hopin' dat mebbe we could be friends… _Non_, dat won't do eit'er, she pro'ly won't want me callin' her _chère_…"

Unfortunately, the young man had been much too optimistic before, because now it was clear that it would _certainly_ be easier said than done. Remy's preparations didn't seem to do him any good, because he had barely managed to talk to her in the past few days. At first she had spent most of the time with her friends, making up for their lost month. Then she had gone off into town before he had even noticed she was leaving, making it impossible to follow her, and that day had been wasted. And lately, the thief was beginning to think that she was outright avoiding him, and he couldn't fathom why.

After all, he had asked for forgiveness the first time he saw her after the incident in the kitchen, which happened to be at dinner that night. She had shrugged him off, so he had tried again in the Danger Room session the next day, although holographic Sentinels had interrupted them. The Cajun had also tried various small gestures, such as saying hello when he passed her in the halls, or complimenting her when she cooked dinner. In other words, he had forced himself to stop flirting and actually tried being _nice_, but nothing seemed to have any noticeable affect.

Today, he decided, that was all going to change. He was determined, and he was going to take action – well, if only he could find her. Traipsing around the mansion, he doggedly searched every room for her, even going so far as to peer in Logan's room to see if she was hiding in there – but to no avail.

It was rather ironic that when Remy finally accepted defeat and stepped outside for a cigarette, he spotted her. She was sitting cross-legged under a tree, drawing the scenic landscaping around the grounds in her sketchbook, and he decided that a polite comment about her art was a good way to start. Putting the cigarette away, he silently moved beside her, with Rogue too absorbed in her sketching to even notice.

"Wow, _chère_, dat's really good," he began, looking down at her work, finding himself actually impressed. "Y' got talent."

To her credit, she didn't even jump at his unexpected arrival. She simply turned her head to coolly stare at him, and then directed her attention back towards a grove of trees.

Slightly disappointed that he didn't even warrant acknowledgement, he tried again. "What, y' more interested in de shrubbery den wit' Remy? Dat hurts, _chère_."

He was met with more silence. He frowned.

"Rogue? Y' alive in dere?"

Remy reached down to tap her on the head, only to have her swat his hand away. He was slightly encouraged at her action, being that she reacted to his presence, but then she quickly returned to her task.

"C'mon, _chère_, are y' just goin' t' keep ignorin' me?" he complained, a bit frustrated.

"Sure, that sounds good," she finally replied.

"Why? 'M bein' nice here!"

"Oh please, do yah think Ah'm buyin' that? Yah suddenly bein' all nice fo' no reason?" she scoffed, looking up at him.

"Hey, dat's not true, I have a reason," he protested.

"Oh really? Then please, enlighten meh," she drawled sarcastically.

"Well, I wanted t' apologize f'r befo'. Didn' mean t' upset y', honest. Was hopin' we mebbe could start again, an' try t' be friends," the Cajun blurted out, forgetting his previously rehearsed script and hoping what he had managed to spit out would suffice.

Anxiously examining the girl, trying to gauge a reaction, he watched as she slammed her sketchbook shut and stood. Facing him, he was stunned to see her irate expression, and even more shocked when she walked right up to him and shoved a finger in his chest.

"Listen up, swamp rat!" Rogue fumed in a tone that suggested interrupting or not listening would be suicide. "Ah'm not some naïve little girl – Ah know what yah're up to! Ah'm perfectly aware that yah see meh as some challenge, an' Ah'm not gonna have any part in it! Ah'm _not_ gonna be swoonin' all over yah, so Ah'm tellin' yah right now, stop it befo' Ah get even more pissed off an' yah get hurt!"

Eyes wide, caught completely off guard, it was perhaps the first time in his life where Remy struggled to speak. "_Chère_, I –"

"Shove it, LeBeau!" the enraged Southern Belle cut him off, stepping forward and pushing him. "And don't even try an' justify it, or make excuses, or turn this around on meh! This is _not_ about meh not admitting to myself that Ah like yah, this is _not_ about meh bein' afraid o' gettin' close to somebody, this is really an' truly about yah annoyin' th' hell outta meh, an' Ah'm not playin' yer game, got it?"

Completely taken aback by her rant, for once Remy LeBeau couldn't find anything to say. All he could do was gape at her, his mouth opening and closing like that of a fish, watching as she stormed off and back into the mansion.

- X -

**_A few days after that…_**

Rogue had felt a strange sense of gratification after her eruption at Remy – she certainly hadn't planned to blow her gasket like that, but she knew perfectly well what he was up to and felt compelled to put a stop to it. The fact that she had managed to render him speechless was an added bonus.

Her outburst did seem to do the trick, however. She vaguely wondered why her rage didn't deter him before, but she wasn't about to complain, since it had achieved the desired results. For the past few days he had barely said two words to her – she occasionally caught him staring at her, but that was it. His gazes seemed to contain a mixture of contemplation, guilt and confusion, and she faintly wondered if she should feel some remorse over her harsh words, but then told herself to perish the thought. No, there was no need for regret – she had put him in his place, and now she finally had some peace.

Of course, that was until a certain Danger Room session.

"Okay! The object of today's training is simple – you're each starting at one corner of a maze, and you have to get through all the obstacles and into the centre of the room," Cyclops explained, gesturing down from where the team stood in the control room to the giant labyrinth that appeared below. "And you'll be in pairs – it won't count as a successful mission unless you_ both_ reach the centre together. Is everybody clear on that?"

"Yeah," the X-Men droned monotonously, not needing any more instructions.

"Great, then here are your teams. Jean and Nightcrawler," Scott began, as the elf ported over to the red head. "Shadowcat and Colossus…"

Rogue turned to the girl beside her and winked cheekily, able to guess what excited thoughts were rushing through her friend's head at the moment. In fact, she was so busy being amused at the beam on Kitty's face that she didn't realize who the remaining two team members were, until she heard the leader's words.

"…And that leaves Rogue and Gambit."

Her head quickly shot up to look at Cyclops in disbelief. "What?"

"You and Gambit," he impatiently repeated. "And no, I'm not switching the pairs around. Come on team, head on out and let's get started."

The rest of the X-Men filed out of the room and Rogue reluctantly followed, Scott clearly not in the mood for any protests. Remy jogged up behind her before she could dart off and began to speak.

"Well, looks like it's y' an' me, Rogue."

"Let's just get this over with…"

They stood in the corner of the Danger Room waiting for the program to start, the Goth with her arms sullenly crossed in front of her, ignoring the Cajun, who was giving her an awkward grin. When a buzzer sounded, they both ran forward into the network of walls and obstacles. They managed to navigate through the first few impediments without even speaking, much to Rogue's delight – the faster they could get this done and the less words exchanged between them, the better.

Easily jumping over laser fields and nimbly avoiding motion detectors, the duo arrived in a long, empty passageway. They cautiously took a few steps ahead, not knowing what traps laid in store, when a loud rumbling sounded from behind them.

Turning, the Southerners came face to face with a gigantic metal ball rolling straight towards them! Quickly spinning around, they dashed in the opposite direction as fast as their legs could carry them, the massive marble bearing down on them faster and faster the entire time. The corridor seemed to go on forever, there was no doubt they would be crushed before they reached the end of it – the thought just prompted Rogue to run harder.

Her and Gambit's feet pounded on the floor in sync, but all she could concentrate on was sprinting. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her arm – she didn't even have time to react before her companion yanked her into a perpendicular hallway that she hadn't noticed. He landed on the hard ground with her on top of him, the ball harmlessly moving by, both of them breathing heavily.

"Looks like Scotty's been watchin' a bit too much Indiana Jones, henh?" Remy chuckled, his chest rumbling underneath her.

Jumping to her feet and trying not to blush at the fact that she had been sprawled out on top of him, Rogue just shook her head – how could he joke at a time like this? "Come on, swamp rat, let's just keep movin'."

Putting on his best puppy-dog eyes, he extended his arm towards her. "Help me up?"

She scowled. "Get up yerself."

The girl walked onward, ignoring his gusty sigh as he got to his feet. A silence descended over them once more as they forged ahead. They had not taken more then a few steps, however, when small cannons popped out of the walls.

"Crap," groaned Rogue, before deftly dodging the plasma beams they began to shoot at them. She _hated_ plasma beams, they hurt like a bitch…

She did her best to weave through the rays while moving down the hall, attempting to get past the perilous section. She executed a number of jumps and flips right after the other, so focused on all of the shots that she didn't notice Gambit doing the same behind her. She was succeeding, having almost reached the end of the hall, when a cannon perched up above her caught her unawares. It aimed its blast at her, forcing Rogue to leap away, pressing her back up against the wall. Two other guns then fired to her left and right sides simultaneously, not letting her move, forcing her to say in the sight of another gun embedded in the opposite wall, and it had already fired.

Rogue imagined it to be like a slow-motion moment in the movies, where countless thoughts and flashbacks ran through the character's head as they watched something disastrous about to happen. It definitely seemed like that now – there wasn't enough time to move out of the way, all she could think about was that she'd be really sore for a while…

But then a huge mass slammed into her side, wrapping around her and sending her rolling along the floor, out of the way of the plasma beam and safely around the corner.

Slightly dazed, the girl opened her eyes, gasping as she found herself looking into Remy's red-on-black orbs, now him being the one on top of her. "What th' hell are yah doin'?" she exclaimed, shoving him off of her, dumping him ungracefully onto the floor.

"Rescuin' y'," he answered matter-of-factly, and then grinned. "Can I at least get a _merci_ f'r my troubles?"

"Ah don't take kindly ta bein' rescued," Rogue huffed. "Ah can take care o' mahself."

"I know," Gambit shrugged. "Well, den let's just t'ink o' it as me helpin' y' out o' a jam."

She was about to protest once more when the truth behind his words sunk in. He had helped her back there, taking a foolish risk to get her out of a tight spot, and it made her wonder. "Why?" she asked instead.

"Why what?"

"Why did yah help meh? Ah have Carol's invulnerability, remember? It wouldn't have hurt meh seriously."

He frowned. "Does _un homme_ need a reason f'r helpin' a _femme_ in trouble?"

"_You_ need a reason fo' helpin' meh when all yah've done is pester meh since yah got here," she shot back.

"Was tryin' t' get on yo' good side, Rogue. I know we started off on de wrong foot, an' I was hopin' t' change dat. I wanted t' apologize f'r de way I acted dis whole time, an' t' ask if mebbe we could start over?" Remy tried to explain, running a shaky hand through his hair.

Was it just her imagination, or did he seem a bit nervous? She had never seen him be anything except completely confident, and she didn't quite know what to say.

When she didn't speak, Gambit felt the need to go on. "Y' know, 'm gonna be here a while, so we might as well try an' get along, right? Who knows, mebbe it could even grow int' friendship?" he asked, standing up and holding out a hand to Rogue, still on the floor.

"Yah were thinkin' _all_ that in th' few seconds yah pushed meh away from th' lasers?" she questioned dubiously.

"_Non_, durin' dat one moment all I had time t' t'ink about was helpin' yah, but now I'm hopin' dat'll pull some weight wit' my offer," he answered sheepishly, his hand still extended.

Staring at it, and then at him, Rogue surprised herself by actually mulling over his words. She was well aware of the consideration his aid had just shown, _and_ he did have a point about things being easier if they just got along, _and_ it wasn't as if she were accepting a marriage proposal or anything life altering like that… Could he be trusted? Probably not, so it wasn't as if she would be operating under any illusions… But he really did seem sincere.

She sighed, and reluctantly let him help her stand. "Fine, swamp rat," she grudgingly agreed. "We'll try an' get along. Ah can't promise Ah'll be overly nice, but Ah'll aim fo' nic_er_."

"Dat's a good start," he smiled. "So, friends?"

She looked down at him offering his hand once more. "No."

Remy puckered his brow. "But y' just said –"

"Ah ain't guaranteein' anything," she informed him. Things were never that simple, and she wasn't about to let him get what he wanted that easily. "Ah can't just automatically be pals with yah – friendship takes time ta grow, an' yah'll have ta earn mine, got it?"

He chortled, amused. "Y' drive a hard bargain, but I'll accept."

"Good," she nodded, finally placing her hand in his, the two of them shaking on it. "Then we're pre-friends."

"Good," the other mutant repeated, grinning. "Glad we got dis settled, _chère_. Now how about we win dis trainin' session?"

He dashed off before Rogue could punch him in an endeavour to correct his speech. "Yah have ta stop callin' meh _chère_, swamp rat!" she yelled behind him.

"Dat wasn't part o' de deal, _chère_!"

"What?" she cried as she raced to catch up with him, annoyed already. "Come on! Ah'll try an' stop callin' yah swamp rat…"

"Who says I want y' to?" he laughed, smirking at her over his shoulder. "I kinda like it! Nice t' see dat we got our own little endearments f'r each ot'er already."

"Endearment? Ooh, Ah'll show yah an endearment, yah damn Cajun!" Rogue fumed, shaking a fist in the air as she ran after him. That damn swamp rat… He was going to push her patience to its limit, without a doubt.

* * *

Finally! It was great to be able to write some Romy banter once more…

**Next chapter** – Will Rogue and Remy ever reach the friends stage?

Everybody freeze! I'm afraid I can't let you leave until you press that little button down there and leave me a few kind words. Do it and nobody gets hurt!

Toodles,

– ish –


	7. Not Just Yet

**Disclaimer:** Marvel should learn to share…

**A/N:** I don't really have anything to say. Let's just get on with it, shall we?

Calliann, EmeraldKatsEye, demiducky25, A Denial, Sweety8587, Rogue14, ragincajunlover, xmengirlzrule, dorkuslove, enchantedlight, That One Person, naemis, EE's Skysong, & the mysterious anonymous reviewer with no name: _Merci! Gracias! Danke! Grazie! _I feel so worldly…

simba317: Wow, you just broke the record for writing me my longest review – which, come to think of it, you held before too… So you get a trophy for it! Well, for both that and more amazing insights, yay!

4Rogue: I see where you're coming from, but even if Rogue's not the most social creature, she's far from stupid – I think she'd be suspicious of Remy's sudden personality shift, especially due to her cynical and distrusting nature. But that's just me. ;-)

Neurotic Temptress: I was just about to suggest some sort of rehab program for those unable to write anything but Romy, but then I came to a rather obvious realization – why would we _want_ to write anything else? And I know, last chapter wasn't full-fledged goodness, but it'll be here eventually, I swear! Hopefully when it is, you'll forgive me for Carol…

Raven2687: Aww, you _do_ care! I'll be looking forward to a nice, long, rambling, novel-length review. ;-)

SweetRevenge151: Curse you for being in Robert's general proximity! I'd just _die_ if I saw him. I wish I could meet somebody famous… But I sure have been trying! Alan Rickman (_squeal_! I _heart_ him!) is currently in my town shooting a film, and I've been trying to stalk him, but unfortunately my efforts so far have been in vain. Sigh!

Seven Sunningdale: The trippy feeling has moved on to me – I read your last chapter, chock full of uber-altruistic Rogue, and then attempted to write my own fic, with her being unable to even exchange a kind word with the guy she's ready to die for in your story… so yeah, weirdness.

missy42: Yes indeed, blowing Remy's mind will occur another time – in fact, I've got a one-shot idea on the back burner that involves it. The only problem is that it pretty much revolves around the one scene where his mind is boggled – I have to work out the rest of it! I'll try my best, but it probably won't appear until after this puppy is done.

TheDreamerLady: The way I see it, things like her super strength and invulnerability are always 'on', but Rogue can sort of choose not to use them – for instance, not trying to lift tanks or get shot at, that sort of thing. I didn't mean she could actually control it to the extent where they're turned off.

Minnaloushe: I too liked Rogue telling him off because of her annoyance – well, I _obviously_ liked it, since I was the one that wrote it, but I'm about to explain it further! Frankly, it sometimes annoys me when it's automatically assumed she pushes him away because she's denying her feelings. It's not giving her enough credit sometimes, methinks.

Eileen Blazer: Looks like you not only need a scorecard for references, but for reviews too! You're forgiven though, those bunnies can be sneaky. Ahh, good ol' Indy – I heart him. I think Remy'd like him too, they're pretty alike, aren't they? Handsome, adventurous men that always go after the girl… Plus Remy has his trench coat and Indy has his hat! By the way, I'm glad that you'd care enough to send search parties out for me, but could you make sure Indiana leads them? He can spelunk my cave any day! And I suddenly feel so dirty for writing that… ;-)

Enough of my distractions, I'm sure you don't want to read any more author's notes. Onward to the chapter!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 7 – Not Just Yet**

**_April 2005 – 3 weeks later… _**

Rifling through every pocket in his trench coat (and there were many), Remy searched feverishly for his missing cell phone. Where was it? Where had he placed it last? Looking over at his dresser and his desk, he frowned – they both had much more items on them now than when he had first arrived at the Institute, but the cell wasn't among them.

Standing in the middle of his room and turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees, his thorough thief's eyes slowly scanned every visible nook and cranny. It simply had to be there somewhere, and he had to find it – because unfortunately, it was about time to once again phone Belladonna.

His calls to her had been decreasing in frequency since his arrival in New York, after he decided that his best bet would be to slowly wean her off them. He knew that if he simply stopped abruptly that she would most likely go ballistic, coming up north and searching him out herself to make sure he was all right. He certainly didn't want that, and since it had been a few weeks since his last check in, it seemed prudent to contact her – hence the search for his cell phone.

One reason he wanted to use it was due to practicality. His private line was untraceable – whereas if he called from the Institute's landline, she might use her various connections in the Guild to track his location. Of course, he had no doubt that she could probably find his whereabouts without the help of a phone number, but if she hadn't done so yet then he was determined not to give her any cause for it.

The second reason for his cell phone hunt was perhaps the more important one, being that Remy had never bothered to learn Belle's phone number. It had never seemed important, and since it was programmed into his phone, he had never quite seen the need. His memory could be utilized for much more useful information, like blueprints and layouts and schematics. The seven digit number of a girl that he only felt obligation towards did not seem like efficient use of his brain's capacity.

However, with the pursuit for his phone not producing any results, the Cajun was beginning to wonder if he should indeed have gone to the trouble of learning her number. After all, what exactly would he do if he couldn't ring and feed her his routine mixture of lies and assurance?

Deciding that finding out the answer to that wouldn't be at all pleasant, the quest continued. He checked under his pillows, between the sheets, in the pockets of his jeans, in the drawer of his bedside table, and then he even got down on his knees and peeked beneath his bed. Discerning some odd shape, he tentatively reached through the clumps of dust until he made contact with a small metallic object. Pulling it out, Remy was pleased to finally find his wayward cell phone in his hand.

Hauling himself up, he flung his body face first across the comfortable mattress and flipped the phone open. Pressing a few buttons and then taking a deep, bracing breath, he waited impatiently as it rang, wanting to get the wearisome task over and done with.

"_Bonjour_?"

"_Bonjour_? Dat all y' have t' say t' me?" he started in a teasing lilt.

"Remy!" Belle shrieked on the other end of the line, so shrilly that he felt the need to move the phone away from his head lest his eardrums explode. "Is dat y'? _Dieu_, where've y' been, _cher_? I've been worried about y', why haven't y' called in so long?"

"_Desolé_ (sorry), _ma belle_," Gambit apologized, putting on a sorrowful tone. "T'ings have been really hectic 'round here lately. In fact, I can't talk long, 'm leavin' on a mission in a few minutes." Yes, that was a good excuse to have this finished as quickly as possible…

"Do y' have t' go?" she whined, and Remy knew that back in New Orleans there was a pout planted firmly on her face. "It's been so long since we've talked, an' I've missed y' so much…"

"I know, Belle, I know. But I have t' be here, remember? It's what de Guilds want," he told her, carefully making sure that he didn't reciprocate her sentiments, or accidentally voice his thoughts that it was what he himself had also wanted.

"_Oui_, I remember… But dat doesn't mean I have t' like it. Can't y' come back yet? _Please_?"

"_Non_, not yet. Still haven't gotten total control, an' y' know I couldn't come back an' put y' at risk," he lied through his teeth.

"But how's it goin'?" she persisted, stubbornly searching for some shred of hope that he might return to her soon. "Are y' workin' hard?"

"_Oui_, very hard," he confirmed, thinking of his current pet project and the amount of effort he was investing into it. "It's definitely a lot o' work."

"Well, work harder," she insisted firmly. "'M so lonely wit'out y'! Am I supposed t' wait forever?"

It certainly wouldn't be a bad thing if she didn't, Remy mused. "Belle, I'm doin' what I can. Can't exactly rush de process, y' know?"

"Fine, whatever," she grumbled crossly.

When she didn't continue, the thief knew she was pissed and was extremely glad he wasn't back in his hometown to deal with her sulking. Trying to wrap things up before she could resort to any dramatics, Remy hastily filled the silence. "'M sorry, Belle, but I have t' go now. Y' gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, sure," his fiancée sighed bitterly. "Y' gotta go, who am I t' stop y'?"

"Please don't do dis," he beseeched, not in the mood for arguing with her. "Y' know de reasons I was sent here."

"_Oui, oui, je sais_ (yes, yes, I know)," the Assassin snapped, clearly still irked.

"Okay den," he replied. "_Au revoir_ (goodbye), Belle."

"_Au revoir_," she mumbled back tersely, and then hung up her phone.

When the dial tone reached his ears Remy did the same, rolling over onto his back and staring at the ceiling. She hadn't ended their conversation with a syrupy declaration of love like she normally did, he noted. Maybe things were looking up? On his end, at least. Perhaps she would lose interest in him on her own, thereby saving him her upkeep of fibs and misrepresentations...

Although technically he hadn't lied when he told her he had a mission to go on, he realized. It wasn't his fault that she assumed it was a mission for the team, when in reality it was a mission to woo another girl… The Cajun couldn't help but smirk when a very interesting thought crossed his mind – if he counted Belladonna, then in reality he was playing three girls at a time! He was rather impressed with himself – this could be his masterwork, his pièce de résistance.

Absent-mindedly tossing his cell phone back and forth between his hands, he began to ponder his subjects. Carol was no problem whatsoever – she was as good as won over already. Rogue would be the one requiring much more work, but he was up to the challenge. In fact, he believed things were progressing quite well with her.

It had started out slowly, with them nodding greetings when passing each other in the hall. That had stepped up to Remy amicably requesting her to pass the butter dish during breakfast, and Rogue civilly asking if he was done with his section of the newspaper – much to everybody's surprise, the meal hadn't culminated in thrown food or ripped articles.

From there they had moved on to more instances of being paired up in the Danger Room, which actually ended with successful performances and them managing not to kill each other. They even collaborated on cooking a Southern meal for dinner one night, and to the whole mansion's astonishment, they somehow agreed on a DVD when hunkering down for a group movie night in the rec room.

It was much harder than he expected, the thief had to admit. He had to constantly force himself not to flirt with her, which seemed almost impossible – not just because it was in his nature, but also because her beauty practically begged it, so he had two strikes against him there. He also had to stop inciting her anger, which was difficult, since he so enjoyed the dangerous flash in her raging green eyes. He tried not to cross that line, instead sticking to light-hearted banter and bickering – because that's what friends did, he constantly reminded himself.

But were they actually friends yet? Had they reached some ambiguous point that dictated it? Remy was surprised to find himself unable to answer that question. After all, when had he ever been only a friend to a girl? There may have been a time when he was younger, he vaguely recalled, but he seemed to remember her being a cousin of some sort, so that automatically put them into the 'just friends' category. Although he was sure that if they weren't related he would have gone after her…

He wasn't positive that what he and Rogue had between them thus far could be classified as friendship. There was still an underlying vigilance, a sense of caution radiating from her. The way her eyes pierced through him, it seemed as if she was constantly trying to analyze him, attempting to figure out what exactly to make of him. The Cajun supposed that the most they were at the moment were casual acquaintances, and if he wanted her eyes to look at him any differently, that would have to change.

At least he seemed to finally be on the right track with her, and he planned to continue down that path. Deciding that there was no time like the present, Remy rolled off the bed, threw on his trench coat, and headed out the door – if he was aiming for friendship, then it was time to put that into action.

- X -

Rogue was stretched out comfortably on her bed, attempting to get to the end of the book she was reading before going into hibernation for the month. She knew that if she left it unfinished she would forget what happened come the next month, and then would have to reread it, which she wasn't particularly keen on doing. People always quoted that damn cliché, of making the most out of the time you had – and since she only got to live half of that time, it seemed prudent not to waste any of it.

So far her evening had been quiet and productive, and she was enjoying it. After dinner she had holed herself up in her room and now was within a few pages of the conclusion, but then a knock on the door interrupted. Hoping that if she ignored it then maybe it would go away, at first Rogue didn't respond, and merely kept reading. When the rapping came again, louder this time, she grumbled, placing a bookmark in her spot and walking over to see who wanted her.

Opening the door, she was somewhat surprised to find Gambit on the other side. "What do yah want?" she demanded, not really caring if it sounded rude.

"_Bonsoir_ (good evening) t' y' too," he told her with a raised eyebrow. "Y' busy?"

"Yes," Rogue informed him. "So come back tomorrow."

"Nice try, I know y' won't be here t'morrow."

Drat, he picked up on that. "Well aren't yah th' clever one," she drawled, crossing her arms and leaning against her door.

"Yup, top o' my class in calendar readin'," Remy shot back, then quickly walked past her and into her room before she could prevent it.

"Hey!" she protested, spinning around and placing her hands on her hips. "Ah didn't invite yah in!"

"Like dat'd stop me," he snorted, looking around inquisitively.

He regarded her décor with interest, Rogue realizing it was the first time he had been in there. She watched him take in the two dressers and closets on opposite ends of the room, the black and pink striped walls, and the posters of Korn, AFI, the Cure, and Garbage hanging on one side, and then Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Destiny's Child on the other.

"Wow, wide range o' tastes y' got, _chère_," he teased with a smirk. "But I didn't picture yo' room bein' pink."

The Goth was about to retort with a comment about why the hell he was imagining what her bedroom looked like anyway, but she stopped herself – both because she really didn't want to know the answer to that, and because she remembered that they were making attempts to be cordial with each other. "It wasn't exactly mah first choice in colour schemes," she instead decided to explain. "Remember, there's two people sharin' this space."

"So what, dis is yo' compromise?" he questioned curiously.

"Yup," the girl sighed. "Ah originally had it all black, but then once Carol had her turn in mah body she changed it ta pink. Needless ta say, Ah hated it and changed it back when Ah got control again, but then Carol did th' same thing once more. Eventually Logan got sick o' constantly smellin' paint throughout th' mansion an' he forced us to live with both. Ironically, th' same décor war happened with meh an' Kit befo' she got her own room – but then we both tried paintin' at th' same time, goin' over th' other person's half, an' ended up mixin' this nice soft grey colour."

Chuckling in amusement at the story, Remy then complimented, "Well, de colours actually work toget'er. Looks good."

"Did yah come here ta give meh design tips? Yah know, th' Queer Eye guys are based in New York, Ah'm sure they'd appreciate yer talents," she snickered, more so when she caught the look on his face.

"I hope yo' not insinuatin' what I t'ink y' are!" the Cajun exclaimed, looking scandalized.

"What if Ah am?" Rogue stated slyly. "Yah know, Ah bet that's why yah flirt with everythin' female, ta cover up yer insecurities about yer true sexuality…"

"_Quoi_!" Remy sputtered indignantly. "How can y' even t'ink dat? Dere's no way…"

He trailed off as Rogue cracked up, realizing she was joshing, and he put a scowl on that only made her laugh more. "Gawd, th' look on yer face was priceless!" she chortled, finally calming down. "Ahh, thanks fo' lettin' meh insult yah one last time this month, Ah really needed that."

"Y' know, I came here f'r a reason other den t' be mocked," he informed her haughtily.

"An' what would that be?"

"Wanted t' see if y'd go to a movie wit' me t'night," he offered casually.

Rogue froze, eyeing him suspiciously. "A movie?" she repeated, cautious. That sounded like it could almost be considered a date…

"_Oui_, a movie," he confirmed, but then quickly added, "Just as friends, o' course."

His words made her think. Were they even really friends? He had been much less flirty lately, which she was thankful for, and they had managed to get along and work together well, which had been a surprise… But friends? Not just yet – if ever at all. Friendship took much more care and cultivation than a few weeks of weary interaction could bring – especially for her, with her countless trust issues.

She must have been lost in thought for a bit too long, because Gambit began to speak again, trying to convince her. "C'mon Rogue. It'll be fun, I promise, an' y' might as well get out an' do somet'in' y' can't do while in yo' mind, henh? Have a last hurrah befo' y' switch."

"Well…" she wondered, still hesitant.

"Please? Just as friends, I swear," he reiterated. "An' dere's nobody else around t' see us t'gether, so no one will t'ink ot'erwise… So why not go?"

"Ah don't know if Ah'd consider us friends just yet… But alright, fine," Rogue agreed grudgingly, moving to her closet to grab a jacket. "But _only_ 'cause there's a movie Ah really wanna see!"

"_Bien_," Remy grinned, heading over to the door and sweeping his arm out. "Shall we?"

"Okay, swamp rat, let's get this over with," she sighed, walking out ahead of him. "An' there's no need ta look so damn pleased with yerself!"

They entered the garage to find almost no vehicles left, many of the Institute's inhabitants having gone out for the evening. Rogue stopped, unsure of what they were going to drive, when Remy moved right past her and towards his motorcycle.

"Looks like we'll have t' take my bike, hope y' don't mind," he remarked.

"That's yer bike?" she queried interestingly. Well, it seemed like he had good taste in at least one aspect of his life.

"_Oui_," he nodded with pride. "Dere a problem wit' dat?"

Rogue smirked, guessing that he was hoping she'd be weary of it – well, it was simply too bad that she'd have to disappoint him. "Not at all, Cajun," she told him confidently, strutting over and planting a spare helmet on her head. "Ah'm definitely a Harley gal."

"Dat right?" he asked, looking intrigued. "Well den, let's go."

He straddled the machine, Rogue hopping on after him. She was a bit uncomfortable sitting so close to him, so she shuffled back as much as possible.

"Y' might wanna come a bit closer, _chère_," he shouted over the starting roar of the engine. "Wouldn't want y' t' fall off, would we?"

"Ah'll be fine, swamp rat!" she yelled back, her legs clenching the sides of the bike a bit tighter as the wheels began to turn, shooting them down the driveway. She knew how to ride, after all, and she put her hands behind her and gripped the back of the seat as they drove along – since there was absolutely no way her hands were wrapping around his waist!

They arrived at the theatre a while later – although not soon enough, in Rogue's opinion. When the pair went inside, Remy asked her which movie she wanted to see.

"That one," she told him, pointing at the poster.

"Y' sure?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

She moved her head up and down decisively. "Yup, Ah'm in th' mood fo' some blood an' gore. Why, yah scared?"

He scoffed. "No way. I wanted t' see dat one too."

"Good," she shrugged, elbowing past him and walking to the box office window. "Then quit standin' there an' lets buy our tickets."

"Here _chère_, I got it," he told her, taking out his wallet.

"Woah, what do yah think yah're doin'?" she cried, holding up a hand to halt him.

"Uh, payin' f'r de tickets?" he answered hesitantly.

"No way," Rogue shook her head, withdrawing her own wallet.

"No way what?"

"Ah'm payin' fo' mah own ticket."

"But why? C'mon _chère_, let me," he insisted. "Chivalry ain't completely dead, y' know."

"No."

"Why not?"

"'Cause this ain't a date."

"Yeah, we established dat befo'…"

"So then lemme pay fo' mah own ticket!"

"But why?"

"Because if yah pay then it seems like a date!" she pointed out.

"So?" Remy speculated.

"So, it ain't a date!"

"A friend can't buy anot'er friend a movie ticket?"

"No, 'cause then it seems like a date, dammit!"

"Who cares?"

"I do, 'cause it's _not_ a date!"

"_Oui_, I know dat, y've made it very clear, so den what's de big deal?"

"Ah know it's clear that this ain't a date, but Ah don't want it ta _seem_ like a date either!"

"But –"

"Good Lord, swamp rat, just lemme buy mah own ticket!"

"Yeah man, let her buy it and hurry up!" an impatient man bellowed at Remy from behind them, where a line had formed.

"That's right!" another person shouted. "Hurry it up, we're waiting too, and we're going to be late for our movie!"

"Oh, hold yer horses!" Rogue yelled back, frustrated. Shoving Remy aside, who threw up his hands in defeat, she tossed her money down on the counter and received her ticket, Remy quickly following suit.

"Are we gonna have ta go through all this again when I get mah popcorn?" she snapped at him when they entered the lobby.

"No, t'ink I learned my lesson," the Cajun grinned sheepishly. "Why don't I grab us some seats?"

She found him in the cinema a few minutes later, moments before the lights dimmed and the movie started. She shoved her popcorn and soda over to him to hold as she sat down, and when she took them back, she noticed that Remy still had his sunglasses on.

"Why yah still wearin' yer shades, swamp rat?" she enquired, a bit puzzled.

He shrugged. "Some o' dese people, dey might not like my eyes dat much, henh?"

Rogue raised a scathing eyebrow at him. "Swamp rat, Ah never pegged yah as th' self-conscious type. Why should yah care what they like? An' besides, this is yer typical teen slasher movie, Ah bet most o' de people in here are kids stoned off their gourds – they probably won't even notice, or better yet, they'll think yah're part o' th' movie."

He stared at her for a moment, and then chuckled. "T'anks _chère_, I needed dat," he declared, taking off his sunglasses and sticking them in a pocket.

Rogue couldn't help but smile back, but then began to wonder if she had just _reassured_ the cocky, conceited Cajun. How bizarre… But she shook it off – she'd simply consider it her good deed done for the day.

Turning back towards the screen, the Goth focused her attention on the film instead, which she found quite hilarious, especially the shameful attempts at suspense and terror. She laughed out loud at the gory parts, causing Remy to turn and look at her oddly.

"What?" she defended herself. "Come on, they deserved it! Ah mean, they're walkin' around _searchin'_ fo' th' killer instead o' runnin' fo' their lives, that's pretty much _askin'_ ta be dismembered."

Gambit couldn't help but chortle at her statement. "True, true. An' I bet dat _fille_'s gonna be next," he added, gesturing at the screen. "She's de one dat doubted de existence o' de monster in de first place, an' it's practically a horror movie rule dat dey have t' be de ones t' go."

"Oh, definitely!" Rogue crowed. "Right befo' any unlucky law enforcement officials that pulled th' job ta catch th' murderer!"

It was then that a man sitting in front of them turned around. "Hey, do you think you two could shut up? I'm missing the movie!"

"Hey, we paid horribly overpriced tickets t' watch dis t'ing too, I t'ink we've earned de right t' make a few very true comments about it," Remy retorted.

"Sorry sir… But it's not like yer missin' any Academy Award winnin' performances or nothin'," Rogue put in, trying to placate the guy.

"I don't care, I still want to watch the movie, so keep quiet!" he barked at them, and then turned back around.

Rogue and Remy looked at each other, twin looks of exasperation on their faces. Then a mischievous expression came across the Cajun, and he reached for Rogue's bag of popcorn. She jerked it away from him at first, but he managed to pull out a handful of kernels and then began tossing them one at a time at the man's head. Rogue snickered quietly as they bounced off him, going unnoticed.

Remy took another fist after he had used up the first, this time charging a kernel lightly before he threw it.

"No, don't!" Rogue scolded, trying to stop him.

"It'll be fine," he waved her concern away. "It's just a tiny charge, it won't hurt him. An' besides, what's he gonna do about it?"

- X -

A mere half an hour later found the duo back at the mansion, trudging up the staircase in silence. When they reached the top Remy stopped, running a hand through his hair and turning to the girl beside him. "I guess I should apologize," he sighed. "Didn't mean t' get us kicked out, 'm sorry."

She had done her best, but Rogue couldn't fight it anymore – the girl burst into boisterous laughter as Remy could only stare on in amazement, probably thinking she had gone insane, expecting a smack rather than a smile.

"What's so funny, _chère_?"

"That was hilarious!" she hooted, taking a few deep breaths in attempts to calm down. "It's been a while since Ah've been thrown out o' a movie theatre!"

"Oh… Well, glad y' enjoyed it," he uttered with surprise, but then chuckled. "But we didn' even get t' see de end o' dat _brilliant_ theatrical masterpiece. We won't know if our predictions o' de characters' deaths came true…"

"Who cares? We can always check off th' death tally scorecards when it comes out on video," the girl scoffed. "Outrunnin' security guards is more mah idea o' entertainment anyway."

"Me too," Remy agreed, but then froze abruptly, a shrewd look slowly growing on his face. "Wait, does dat mean y' actually had a good time t'night?"

Rogue took a few seconds to think about it, and came to a conclusion that shocked her – but of course, she wasn't about to admit it to the mutant in front of her. "Good time? Dunno if Ah'd go that far, but Ah'd say it was surprisingly bearable," she sniffed.

"Sure, _chère_," he smirked knowingly. "Y're welcome, den."

"What am Ah thankin' yah fo'?"

"F'r draggin' y' out f'r a 'surprisingly bearable' end t' de month."

She sighed. "Ah'm not gonna hear th' end o' this until Ah do, right?"

"Nope."

"_Fine_… Thanks fo' draggin' meh out tonight," she muttered monotonously.

"No problem. It's nice dat y' sound so grateful," Remy grinned, and then paused. "So… Y' headin' off t' do yo' switch now?"

"In a while," she reported. "Ah'm gonna say goodbye ta mah friends first."

"Am I included in dat?" he raised a brow hopefully.

"What do yah mean?" she asked, purposely being difficult.

"I mean, do y' consider us friends yet o' not?"

"Ah don't know just yet," she answered honestly, after a short pause. "But Ah suppose Ah'll tell yah goodbye now anyway, just ta be polite."

"Aww, I appreciate dat."

"So… Ah guess Ah'll see yah next month, swamp rat," she finally stated, nodding her head and turning around, proceeding towards Kitty's room.

"See y' next month, Rogue," he responded congenially, inclining his head and heading off to his own bedroom.

Before he reached the end of the hallway, however, he heard her call to him. "Hey Remy!"

"_Oui_?" he queried, looking back curiously.

"Try not ta turn back into an extremely annoyin' asshole durin' th' month Ah'm not around ta keep yah in line, alright?" she shouted. She couldn't help herself – she felt she had been uncharacteristically easygoing tonight anyway, so why not leave him with an insult?

To her surprise, he didn't take the comment as an opportunity to begin another verbal sparring match. Instead he laughed – a deep, hearty reverberation straight from his belly that she found to actually sound rather pleasant. With a wink he yelled back, "Y' got it, _chère_ – I'll just be a regular annoyin' asshole den!"

Then with a salute, he headed off. Rogue stood there for a second and rolled her eyes – at least that would be a slight improvement from what he was before… But pushing that out of her mind, she continued on her way to say her goodbyes.

* * *

Well, lookee there. Some more interaction between our favourite pair, and things went a bit better this time!

**Next chapter** – Carol's back (unfortunately), and this time she'll be the one asking Remy to keep a secret…

Did you know that 3 out of 4 doctors say that writing lovely, shining reviews increases your life expectancy by 14.26 percent? And if you don't believe that, well, why don't you try it and see?

Toodles,

– ish –


	8. Realizations

**Disclaimer:** Let's keep it nice and to the point – Marvel's!

**A/N:** Sorry this update took a bit longer than usual, I was surprisingly busy, things kept coming up… but I'm sure you all don't want to hear my excuses, right?

TheRealMai (x5!), Calliann, Rogue14, demiducky25, Sweety8587, heartsyhawk, EE's Skysong, Rogue4787, wildcardrose, Rikku Ree, enchantedlight, & AnalisDestiny: Thanks all – as usual, you made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

missy42 & Freak87: I didn't specify it, but I suppose Rogue and Remy could've gone to the same movie he went to with Carol. That sure would make the comparisons more interesting. Gee, I wonder which outing Remy preferred…

SweetRevenge151: Yes, spiffy people come to Toronto, but unfortunately they never stop by on my doorstep for some meet and greets! But even if they did, I don't think they could compare to Robert Smith. Too bad Moz doesn't live in England anymore, he would've been another person to add to the stalking list.

Seven Sunningdale: Me, a Carol-lover? Sacrilege! I'm trying to zoom through the Carol parts as quickly as possible, and we'll get more Rogue soon. Throughout most of the fic their exposure should be pretty equal, but near the end Carol gets more time. You'll see why – mainly because I'm a slave to the plot! Oh, and I hate to rain on your parade of computer knowledge, but a landline exists – it's just a terrestrial telephone cable. Not that you were wrong about the LAN line, cuz those exist too… Let's just say we were both right. Which we were. Okay then!

darkstorm5000: Are you anticipating Carol's return because you actually like her character, or simply out of curiosity regarding the unravelling plot? Cuz if it's the former, I'm interested as to how much you'll like her after this chapter, and some of the other stuff I have planned...

simba317: …Woah. You know, when I get reviews in my email inbox, most of them are around 2KB – your review was 17KB! I was very impressed, thanks! You had me cracking up with suggesting Remy 'accidentally' blow up Belle (oh, if only!), and at the Kelso thing. And my stars, I _completely_ agree with you about X-Men #173 – when I saw the preview I felt ill. I'm _SO_ mad at Marvel, why can't they just let them be happy? I try to rationalize it, remembering that they've been split apart but always come back together, and have had so many happy moments… but then that actually makes me feel worse, thinking of all that will be thrown away if they do break up, which I've heard will happen. I tried to be optimistic, realizing that X-Men: The End has them married in the future, so it looks like a split won't be permanent, but that _still_ doesn't console me – especially with the preview of the cover Heroes and Martyrs #6! _Eeep_. Really, the only thing I can do to maintain my sanity is not think about it at all – maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away…

Neurotic Temptress: I know, I know, Carol's blandness really makes her time drag on, doesn't it? But hey, think of the horror I go through _writing_ her! Which is exactly why there's only one chapter of her this time around, hope you appreciate that. I suggest holding off on inducing any heart attacks for at least a few minutes though – since I have a feeling the end of this chappy might prompt one for you.

4Rogue: Sorry you don't like my characterizations, I suppose I can't please everyone.

A Denial: Carol's 18, the same age as Rogue (it was mentioned during her first date with Remy), the chapters will alternate between the two girls (although not necessarily with equal numbers for each), and I don't know how to answer the last question, you'll have to ask Remy. ;-)

Eileen Blazer: Mmm, thoughts of Remy and Indy and Han were so distracting that I almost forgot to read the rest of your review… Tom is my favourite Queer Eye Guy too! That 'deer in the headlights' look he does during the opening credits cracks me up every time.

Minnaloushe: Late is better than never – although I can't really comment on your lateness, considering this update is pretty behind schedule as well. But yay, juxtaposition! Don't worry, I feel like an English teacher too – "Class, please compare and contrast the date with Carol versus the date with Rogue"…

Shall we get on with it then?

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 8 – Realizations**

**_May 2005_**

Remy had been lost in the pleasant oblivion of a deep, peaceful sleep until he was brought back to consciousness with a tender hand resting lightly on his shoulder, gently rousing him. Grumbling and weakly swatting at whoever dared wake him, he rolled over to his other side and tried to recapture his serene slumber. However, the person clearly had other ideas, and proceeded to poke him, decidedly less gently this time.

He tried his best to ignore the disruptive prodding, burrowing further into his sheets and blankets, but then a soft, feminine voice cut through the haze in his mind. "Remy… _Remy_…"

"Wha?" he mumbled incoherently into his pillow.

"Wake up, Remy…"

Forcing himself to turn over and face the mysterious voice, he slowly opened his eyes, wincing as bright, harsh light attacked them. Propping himself up on his elbows and blinking a few times to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing, Remy was taken aback to find Rogue sitting beside him on his bed. Not that he minded, of course (in fact, it was an extremely pleasant surprise), but what was she doing there? "_Chère_?" he questioned amazedly, the shock bringing him back to awareness quicker than any cup of coffee could.

"Remy!" she squealed, launching herself at him, wrapping her covered arms and gloved hands around his bare torso. "I'm so glad to be back, I missed you so much!"

It wasn't the fact that she was uncharacteristically initiating close physical contact with him that threw the boy off, but rather her lack of a sultry Southern accent. "Oh… _Bonjour_, Carol," he greeted in a more unenthusiastic tone when he finally realized who the girl in front of him really was.

"Hi!" she beamed perkily, pulling her warm and supple curves away from his body, to his disappointment. "Sorry I woke you, but I just got up myself, and I couldn't wait to see you! A month was much too long to go without you."

"_Oui_, I know de feelin'," Remy responded sweetly, his brain slowly warming up and remembering to keep up with his sweet talk and sycophancy.

Before he could go on, a large yawn impossible to suppress interrupted him. Deciding not to fight it, he then raised his arms up into the air, stretching languidly. Carol remained silent, and he knew her gaze was glued to his body, roving over the delicious spread of muscle he had on display. After he rubbed his eyes free from sleep and then looked back at her with a cocky expression, she finally snapped out of her trance.

"So!" she exclaimed, slightly embarrassed to be caught unawares, forcing herself to look away from temptation. "Um… I guess I should leave you to get dressed or something, and then maybe we can go and spend the day together, okay?"

"Sure," the Cajun concurred, sitting up, and he caught Carol staring at the sheets sliding off his chest and pooling dangerously low around his waist. "But y' know, y' don't have t' leave while I get dressed if y' don't want…"

A blush spread across her pale white cheeks as he teasingly leered at her, but this time she didn't look away. "Don't tempt me, hon," she laughed with a smirk.

Remy chuckled throatily, enjoying the boldness of the flirty exchange. "Well if y' stay, I'm afraid temptin' is all I'll do."

"Then I guess I'll go wait for you down in the kitchen," she sighed melodramatically, but the thief was well aware of the playfulness behind it.

"Okay," he nodded. "I'll shower an' get dressed, an' meet y' down dere."

"Sure," Carol agreed, hopping off the bed. "Why don't I make some breakfast while I wait?"

"Dat'd be nice, _merci_," he told her, watching her walk to the door.

"Okay then," she said, shooting him a saucy smile as she exited. "See you in a bit."

Remy just grinned as the door closed, and then tumbled gracefully out of bed. Stretching out once more, he then looked down at himself, noting the protruding bulge his red silk boxers were covering. It was time he headed for a shower – a cold one, to be precise, since the decidedly impure thoughts that ran through his mind at waking up next to Rogue had left him quite excited.

- X -

Remy arrived at the kitchen door sometime later, his auburn hair damp and dripping trails of water down his neck and onto his tan trench coat and maroon shirt. He found the room empty except for Carol sitting alone at the table. She was reading the entertainment section of the newspaper, and as he always did whenever he saw her, he let his eyes rove over her voluptuous body. It was such a pity that the expanse of enticing skin had to be covered… But then again, he supposed its tantalization might be too much for him to resist if it wasn't.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, the thief then sauntered further inside. "Hey hon!" Carol greeted him joyfully, raising her head and staring at him. "Wow, you were done that fast?"

"It's been half an hour," he pointed out.

"Yeah, I know! I never understood how guys can get ready in such a short amount of time."

He had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Half an hour was longer than he usually took – the only reason for today's delay was the few moments of self-indulgence in the shower, where his earlier unchaste thoughts had needed an outlet. Carol really considered thirty minutes to be a short amount of time for grooming and primping? Again, the mysterious ways of the feminine world baffled the Cajun, but he decided to ignore it, which was all that he _could_ do.

"O' course I take so little time," he scoffed instead, strutting over to her. "I already look perfect, don't I? What else do I need t' do?"

She giggled, even more so as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. "So, _ma jolie_… I believe y' promised Remy here some breakfast?"

"I sure did," she remembered, and then pointed over at the counter. "It's over there, all ready for you."

Remy headed in the direction she indicated, stopping at the toaster, which had two warmed pieces of Pop-Tarts sticking out of it. "Oh…" he commented apathetically. He despised Pop-Tarts, they were much too sugary for him first thing in the morning. He didn't know why, but he had been expecting something a tad more edible – perhaps some victuals that were less processed and fake, and that actually required effort. A good old-fashioned Southern breakfast complete with grits and hash browns would have been welcome, something like what Rogue had made one morning…

"What's wrong?" Carol asked, worried, getting up from her seat and walking over. "You don't like them?"

"_Non_, it's fine," he lied, picking up the heated squares and dropping them on a plate. "I guess when y' said y'd _make_ me breakfast, I was expectin' somet'in' diff'rent."

"Hey, I did make them!" she pouted, leading him back over to the table. "And besides, I can't cook."

"It's okay," he reassured her, taking a bite to placate her, and forcing himself to swallow it. From that one mouthful he then knew that there was no way he would be able to eat the rest. "Do y' want t' share?" he offered, pushing the plate towards her.

"Sure," she accepted, picking one up as she sat down beside him. Munching away happily, she then turned to the Cajun and questioned, "So, how was your month? I hope you managed to amuse yourself without me. Do anything exciting while I was gone?"

"Not really," he shrugged, trying inconspicuously to sneak a Granny Smith out of the fruit bowl in front of him. "What about y'?" he posed, before he could appreciate what a stupid question that was – what did she have to do while locked up in her mind?

Carol just rolled her eyes. "Puh-leeze! It was just lil' ol' me completely alone with my thoughts for thirty days. Not exactly my idea of fun."

"_Non_, I can imagine… But dere wasn't much fun 'round here wit'out y', so y' didn't miss much," he fibbed.

"Gosh, I missed your sweetness," Carol gushed, linking her arm around his and resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad to be back."

"Glad t' have y' back," Remy promptly reciprocated, alert and on the ball this time, before inconspicuously taking a bite out of his procured apple.

"And don't worry!" she continued happily, after taking another bite of the Pop-Tart. He frowned as some crumbs fell on his coat, but didn't say anything. "Now that your girlfriend is back, we can find some things to do that'll entertain us!"

The thief blanched. He froze completely, suddenly forgetting how to chew and swallow correctly in his fluster – a moment later, he began to emit a hacking cough as pieces of fruit failed to properly slide down his throat.

"Remy? Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" Carol cried in alarm, blue eyes wide with worry as she sat there and watched him choke.

Panicking, she firmly smacked his back with all her might, dislodging the hunk of apple from Remy's trachea – but the strength behind the action also propelled him forward onto the table. Groaning, he just let himself lay there, taking deep breaths as his cheek rested against the cool wood.

"Remy? Remy, come on, say something, please! Are you okay?" the hysterical girl whimpered. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Just swallowed de food wrong, dat's all…" he rasped out. "'M fine, don't worry."

He was fine? No, he lied. She was his girlfriend? She was his girlfriend… Or at least, she _thought_ she was his girlfriend.

How strange. He had never had a girlfriend before, and he had always been weary of the word – it meant being tied down to someone, belonging to someone… _Loving_ someone? And there she was, just tossing it out so casually, when they had never so much as discussed it. How could she just assume such a thing? But they _were_ dating, weren't they? So it must have been presumed, he should have been expecting it… And yet that did nothing to quell his distress.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" Carol quizzed him once more, and he could see her looking down at him with concern when he finally forced open his eyes.

"Yeah, o' course," he tried to brush the incident off nonchalantly, pushing himself back up into a sitting position and hoping that she wouldn't connect his little episode to the two syllable word beginning with a 'g' that she had uttered just a few seconds before. "Just de apple tryin' t' kill me, dat's all."

It worked. "You're too funny, you know that?" she laughed demurely, her anxiousness abated.

"_Oui_, I've been told dat," he mused, and then attempted to quickly change the subject and move on to one less embarrassing and potentially disastrous. "So, Carol, what were y' sayin' about t'ings dat could entertain us? I'm sure I could t'ink o' a few ideas…" He waggled his eyebrows cheekily.

The girl gasped, her cheeks reddening slightly, and Remy couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, I was only t'inkin' o' headin' out t' de café," he informed her in a shocked and scandalized tone of voice. "Why, Ms. Danvers, I don' know what _you_ were t'inkin'!"

"Oh, you!" she tittered, lightly cuffing him on the arm. "I can't believe you sometimes!"

"Well, I _am_ pretty unbelievable, _non_?"

"Yeah, and modest too," she added sarcastically.

"Dat goes wit'out sayin'," he grinned. "So, what do y' say? Want t' walk over an' get some coffee? It's a nice day out…"

"I could definitely use some fresh air after a month of technically not even breathing," Carol mentioned, pretending to mull over his suggestion. Her attempt at coyness was a waste of time, however – she was predictable, and Remy knew she wouldn't refuse him. "Not that fresh air is the only reason I'd go with you, of course."

"O' course," he repeated seriously, standing up. "Den lets go, henh?"

"Sure," she smiled, getting out of her chair and moving with Remy towards the door. "Just let me go upstairs and grab my jacket, okay? I'll be right back."

He watched her run ahead and around the corner, then heard her scurry up the stairs. He exited the kitchen to wait for her in the foyer, but halfway down the hallway he ran into Wolverine blocking his path. The man was simply leaning against the wall, casual in appearance, but Remy knew the signs – a frown, crossed arms, and an intimidating eyebrow raised – and thus knew that whatever conversation he was about to incite would be far from pleasant.

"_Excusez-moi_ (excuse me)," the Cajun apologized, attempting to move around the shorter mutant, not desiring a confrontation so early in the day.

"Not so fast, Gumbo," Logan growled, shooting out a hand and grabbing the boy, stopping him in his tracks.

"Any'tin' I can do f'r y', _homme_?"

Without warning, the Canadian shoved him hard against the wall, one hand pressing a shoulder back and the other rising to beneath his chin, where two adamantium claws emerged from Logan's knuckles and scraped the sides of Remy's stubble-covered cheeks.

"Woah, what's de problem, Wolvie?" he questioned innocently, not daring to move lest his face be nicked – he could certainly use a shave, but preferably not with those blades. "Didn't steal yo' bike or take yo' beers – well, not lately, dat is – so what did I do t' piss y' off dis time?"

"Nothin' _yet_," the man growled, moving his face closer to the Cajun's and speaking in a low, scratchy, yet utterly authoritative voice. "But I'm bein' nice and givin' ya a friendly," the word was punctuated with an extra shove, "warning, bub. See, I think you're playin' a dangerous game here, and ya better quit before ya get in over your head."

Remy's eyes narrowed. He refused to be intimidated, and refused to acknowledge any culpability. He wasn't quite sure whether the latter was due to being raised a thief, his sense of self-preservation, or because he believed there was nothing to feel guilty for, but that issue seemed insignificant at the moment. "'M not playin' anyt'in'."

"I don't think I believe ya." A third claw broke through his skin, rising slowly, only stopping when it began to dig in underneath Remy's jaw. "Ya hurt that girl and they'll never find all your pieces, understand?"

"Which girl we talkin' about here? Carol or Rogue?" the boy questioned with a smirk. It was taking all he had not to break free from the other man's grasp and fight, so instead he focused on taunting him as much as he could.

"Either," the Canuck snarled back, stepping even closer to him.

"Y' sure about dat? 'Cause I'm t'inkin' y're more worried about Rogue… Not dat y' have any reason t' worry about her, o' course."

"I have a feeling I do," Logan spat out, his eyes growing darker. "But it doesn't matter which girl I mean – ya hurt either one and it hurts Rogue, and then I hurt _you_, got it?"

"Got it," Remy replied indifferently, shrugging the one shoulder that wasn't pinned against the wall. "But 'm not doin' anyt'in' wrong. Just hangin' out wit' _Carol_, treatin' her like a normal person, is dat a crime?"

"Dependin' on what you do, it might be," the feral mutant glared. It was clear he was about to continue with his threats, but he paused and looked behind him, dropping the Cajun right as Carol walked back around the corner.

When she saw the two males, she paused, clearly uncomfortable. "Um, hi Wolverine," she began tentatively. "Uh, me and Remy are going to go out and get a coffee, okay?"

"Sure, Ace," Logan replied shortly, turning and stalking away from them – but not before sending a fierce, warning glower in Remy's direction. "I'll be keepin' an eye on you, Gumbo, so watch yourself," he hissed in a whisper barely loud enough for the boy to hear, before entering the kitchen.

Remy was about to grimace but quickly recovered, placing a smile on his face instead, reaching for Carol's hand and leading her towards the front door. "Y' ready?"

"Yup," the girl nodded eagerly, the tension already forgotten as the handsome young man directed her outside. "Let's go! It's been forever since I've had a good cup of coffee, and I could really use a caffeine boost…"

- X -

"Wow, it really is beautiful out today, isn't it? I love spring, with all the flowers blooming, it reminds me of the garden at home that my Mom would spend hours on, trying to make perfect. And the breeze is nice – feeling the air on my face is great, especially after not being able to feel much for a month, and…"

Remy couldn't help but tune out Carol's inane ramblings as they walked through the park on the way to the coffee shop. He simply strolled along beside her, his hand encased in her tight grip, which pulled his arm along jerkily as she swung hers merrily. Every so often he would let out a half-hearted "Yeah", or "Uh-huh", but if somebody had asked him what she was talking about, the Cajun wouldn't have been able to answer correctly to save his life.

"Remy? Did you hear me?" she finally asked a few minutes later.

"Uh-huh," he responded indifferently.

"Then what did I say?" the girl grilled him.

"Sure," he muttered, but then snapped to attention once she tugged on him forcefully. "Ow! What was dat f'r?"

"You weren't listening!"

"_Desolé_," Remy apologized. "Guess 'm just distracted, dat's all. Sorry, go on, I'll listen dis time."

"Okay, well, I was just saying…"

He tried to pay attention, he really did, but the thief found his thoughts wandering off once more. He didn't even notice that his focus had diverged, but Carol certainly did, and she showed her displeasure by yanking his hand once more.

"You're not listening to me!" she cried in frustration, but then a worried expression took the place of her annoyed one. The thought that the cause may have been her pointless chatter never crossing her mind, she instead queried, "What's wrong? Did something happen back there with Wolverine?"

He almost wanted to thank her for providing him with such an easy escape. "Yeah…. Sorry, _ma jolie_, I was just t'inkin' about what Wolvie said back dere. He got all protective, like we were doin' somet'in' wrong. He said he'd be watchin', so I was just wonderin' if we could mebbe try harder t' keep dis relationship quiet… 'M worried, dat's all."

"Of course, I don't want anything to happen!" Carol hastily agreed, but then rapidly became indignant. "But I can't believe him. I mean, it's not like we're doing something wrong! He can't tell me how to live my life!"

"Relax," he soothed her, squeezing her hand. "Nothin' happened, 'm still here. We'll just be more careful in de future, henh? Dunno, mebbe we might have t' go out less, or stop hangin' around toget'er so much, at least where people can see us…"

She sighed. "I don't like the sounds of that… But I guess you're right. I don't want to lose you – you're really important to me, you know that?"

"Really?" he questioned interestingly, looking over at her.

"Really," she confirmed, her face hiding behind a cascade of auburn and white hair. "I'm so glad to have you around, it's great to finally have somebody that I feel I can tell anything to. I mean, Jean's my friend and all, but I still don't feel I can really talk to her about everything. And I definitely don't feel too comfortable around the others – they like Rogue better than me…"

"What makes y' say dat?" Remy wondered curiously, cautiously brushing the girl's hair behind her ear so he could see her better, taking care not to let his bare fingers touch her skin.

"Just from the way they act around me," she responded vaguely, scowling. "Frankly, I just don't get it. I mean, Rogue used to be their enemy, and she's Mystique's daughter! And yet they like her, so I can't see why they don't like me. It's not like I ever fought against them or anything…"

"Rogue was de enemy?" he enquired incredulously. He had no idea… He found that intriguing – a small splash of darkness seemed to make her all the more appealing. Perhaps Carol would be able to tell him some more?

"Yeah! When she first came to Bayville, she was with the Brotherhood! She joined the X-Men later, and they managed to accept her right into the fold," she ranted. "But they won't do the same for me!"

"Why'd she switch sides?"

"Something about Mystique lying to her, I don't know all the details… But who cares," Carol grumbled. "I don't want to talk about this right now, let's change the subject."

"'Course," Remy obliged her. "We'll talk about somet'in' else, whatever y' want."

He felt like kicking himself afterwards, wishing he hadn't spoken those last few words when Carol continued. "Let's talk about you then!"

"Me?" he repeated, fighting to keep the nervous hitch from his voice and only partially succeeding.

"Yeah. I mean, you know a lot about me, but I just realized that I don't really know a lot about you. I'd like to learn more about my boyfriend."

Her last word nearly made him wince, sounding just as unnerving to him as the g-word. "Oh…"

"So, tell me about yourself!" she exclaimed, excited.

"What do y' want t' know?" he asked warily.

"Well, why don't you start at the beginning? What was your childhood like, where'd you grow up?"

Remy had a feeling that she wouldn't settle for avoidance this time around, and sighed internally. It looked like he would have to relinquish some information, but at least he could ensure it would be the bare minimum. "Grew up in Louisiana. Most o' my childhood was pretty fun, playin' 'round wit' my cousins, stuff like dat."

Carol seemed to wait for him to elaborate, but when he didn't, she pressed on. "Cousins, huh? Well, what was your family like?"

"Big," he replied casually, with one of the only adjectives he could think to describe them with that wouldn't raise suspicions. "Practically a whole clan. Love dem a lot… I miss dem."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters? What about your parents?" she pushed, insistent.

He sighed, hoping that perhaps a tweaked version of the truth could put an end to the probing. "Carol, I don't really want t' talk about dis…"

"Why not?" she pouted. She removed her hand from his and crossed her arms across her chest, her blue eyes conveying her hurt. "What, you don't trust me?"

The Cajun inwardly scoffed at the question – no, of course he didn't. Or at least, not in the way that mattered. He supposed he trusted her with some minor details, but that was only because she liked him, and seemed to be willing to do what he asked. But true trust, that important bond earned through trials and tribulations, through respect and caring? Definitely not.

But of course, he couldn't say any of that. "O' course I trust y'," he lied easily, sticking his hands sullenly in his pockets and plastering a distressed expression on. "It's just dat I don't t'ink I'm ready t' talk about some parts o' my past yet… It's private, an' I don't want t' deal wit' it, let alone make y' have t'."

To Remy's relief, a sympathetic look appeared on Carol's face as she bought his explanation. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she gushed. "I didn't mean to upset you by prying or anything, really."

"It's okay," he told her, and then thanked his lucky stars that they had finally arrived at the café. "Here, let's just get our coffee an' forget about dis, henh?"

He chivalrously held open the door for her, and then followed her inside to the counter. Pulling out his wallet (which had recently been filled thanks to an unsuspecting businessman who had no idea of his generosity), he asked his companion, "What would y' like? Whatever y' want, on me."

Taking a few seconds to glance at the menu, Carol then faced the barista. "I'll have an iced grande low-fat decaf sugar-free vanilla mocha frappuccino smoothie, but with soy milk and no whipped cream," she dictated all in one breath. "Oh, and with cinnamon on top!"

The worker seemed to take the order in stride, finding nothing out of the ordinary with it, but Remy could only boggle at what she had just requested – so much so that he didn't notice his own order being asked for. Shaking himself back to attention, he replied, "Just a large black coffee, please."

Now the young man blinked confusedly. "You mean a _venti _size?"

"Uh, is dat big?"

"Yes."

"Den sure, dat's what I'll have."

"But what do you mean by black coffee? We have our house blend, an organic blend, Italian and French roasts –"

Remy held up his hands in surrender, quickly interrupting. "Y' know what? Surprise me."

"Um, okay," the barista replied, giving his customer an odd look but scuttling off to make the drinks.

The Cajun turned to Carol, frustrated. "Y' know, I miss de days when I could order coffee wit'out needin' a special dictionary."

"Not into fancy coffees?" she enquired with a grin. "You don't know what you're missing!"

"I'm okay wit' dat," he groaned, placing the money on the counter as the duo walked away with their drinks, moving to a corner of the shop and sitting down at a table.

The thief examined the warm cup in his hand, not knowing what exactly it was, but at least satisfied that it certainly was large. He would definitely need the energy boost if he was going to survive a day of Carol's inquisitiveness and prattling… It was too bad that he didn't have any alcohol to spike the coffee with, perhaps that could make the conversation and company more bearable.

- X -

**_Four weeks later…_**

It was the last day of the month, and Remy found himself to be somewhat relieved – and also quite dissatisfied. When he had first begun his little undertaking with Rogue and Carol, he was under the impression that the endeavour would keep him amused during his time at the Institute. Rogue certainly kept him on his toes, but Carol?

He was actually grateful for the fact that Carol would be making her switch momentarily, because he had come to a realization – she was anything but amusing. She was bland, she was uninteresting… And _Dieu_, was she ever clingy! He had a feeling that if she could, she would spend every waking moment with him – and probably every second asleep as well. He never thought he would appreciate the rest of the Institute's inhabitants keeping a vigilant eye out for Rogue's body, especially with the Wolverine keeping tabs on him, but now he did – especially since it provided him with a useful excuse to have time away from the girl.

She was everything he thought he had left behind with Belladonna. Why had it taken so long for him to grasp that fact? After a few more monotonous movie and dinner dates, her lack of appeal was painfully clear. He had enjoyed her enamoured attitude at first (who wouldn't like somebody so obviously smitten with them?), but by now it had all become tedious.

It just seemed much too easy. He had entered this venture with the impression that it would be an exciting challenge – the half with Rogue certainly appeared to be, but the half with Carol he could probably navigate with his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back.

"You look deep in thought," Carol cooed from beside him, shaking him out of his reflections as they walked towards her room. "What are you thinking about?"

"You, o' course," he replied suavely. "_Vous êtes une fille très ennuyeuse_ (you are a very boring girl)."

She looked at him, clueless.

"Y're a very wonderful girl," he then translated incorrectly. Sure it was childish, but at least that slight venting made him feel a bit better.

"You're a sweetheart," she murmured in response, squeezing his hand in her gloved one as they stopped in front of her door.

Remy sighed, content with letting her think it was due to sadness over her departure rather than his relief in receiving a reprieve. "So I guess dis is goodbye…"

"Yeah, for another month," she confirmed unhappily, with a well-defined pout.

"I'll see y' den," Remy told her briskly, kissing the back of her hand and stepping away, about to walk off.

He didn't get very far, as Carol swiftly reached over and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him back and closer to her. A questioning look appeared in his eyes, which turned into a surprised one as she stepped in, pressing her warm body right up against his.

The Cajun could feel her curves pressing against his chest, his stomach, his hips… Suddenly his throat became parched, and he found it hard to swallow. Thinking she was about to hug him, he started to manoeuvre his arms around her. However, after placing a gloved hand above his rapidly beating heart, the girl quickly leaned up towards him. Before Remy could even register what she was doing, her supple, luscious lips met his in a searing kiss.

He knew he had to pull away immediately, well aware of the fact that her getting a glimpse into his memories would be a disaster. He attempted to move, but then the soft material of her gloves was felt on the back of his neck, firmly holding him in place.

The kiss lasted for a few more moments, which Remy found to be both endless and fleeting. He was unsure whether he wanted it to conclude or go on forever, but then she retreated before a decision could be reached.

As the other mutant released her grip and stepped back, the thief remained motionless, attempting to re-establish coherent thoughts once more. It was then that he finally came to a shocked realization – no absorption had occurred.

She had touched him. She had touched him, skin on skin, and nothing had happened.

Although he had never experienced Rogue's powers used against him firsthand, he had seen them at work at others – they kicked in within seconds, leaving the unlucky recipient drained and the girl bracing herself against the after-effects… But nothing like in those situations had happened here.

"What –"

"Shh," Carol whispered, halting his flustered query by pressing a covered finger against his mouth. "We'll just make this another of our little secrets, okay?"

With a wink and one last sultry look, the girl entered her room and shut her door behind her, leaving Remy standing stock-still, bewildered and confused. He didn't quite understand how it had happened or what exactly was going on, but he was certainly aware that he had unsuspectingly stumbled onto something very interesting…

* * *

Congrats to you who guessed it in previous reviews – it appears that Carol does indeed have control over Rogue's absorption… The wench!

**Next chapter** – Remy investigates the mystery that is Rogue's powers…

Reviews make ish happy. A happy ish writes faster. Faster writing means more updates. More updates mean happier readers. And there you have it – if you review, you all benefit! So hop to it!

Toodles,

– ish –


	9. Curiosity

**Disclaimer:** How cruel of the disclaimer to constantly remind me of what I don't own!

**A/N:** Back for more, are we? Well, who am I to refuse you? I'm _only_ the author, after all, nobody _important_…

TheDreamerLady, A Denial, AnalisDestiny (x3!), EE's Skysong, enchantedlight, IvyZoe, Rogue14, Rikku Ree, ragincajunlover, Freak87, & TheRealMai: Thanks for feeding my review addiction, I appreciate it! Of course, now I just need more and more and more…

Eileen Blazer: Okay, the review response fiasco is finally cleared up! I think the site was conspiring against you – but gosh, I admire your dedication in getting your intended message across, gold stars for you! Anyhoo. You know, I also hate blood and needles, and probably have the lowest tolerance for pain in the world, yet I managed to get a tattoo – you too can overcome your wimpiness! And aww, a Higher Standard I always meet? What'll happen if one day I don't? This is the part where you reassure me that I could never write anything less than stellar… ;-)

Neurotic Temptress: Believe me, I'd love to stop writing Carol, but sadly I have to follow this thing called a 'plot'. If I didn't, well, who knows what the bunnies would do then? I'd rather not find out…

SweetRevenge151: Morrissey family reunion? Brilliant! I'll start printing out the fake invitations… Aww, you thought last chappy was the best yet? Yay! Don't worry about feeling like you've sinned, how do you think I feel sticking Remy with Carol, which goes against everything I stand for? We can go douse ourselves in holy water or something, and purge our tainted souls!

missy42: Tee hee hee, I sure know what I'd like to do with Remy shoved up against a wall… (_wink wink, nudge nudge_!) And yes, I think plying ourselves with alcohol to survive Carol is just the ticket – I'll bring the pina coladas, you get those fun little umbrellas!

demiducky25: I have unfortunately seen the previews, and they hurt me _greatly_, but I'm even more worried after seeing the cover for Heroes and Martyrs #6… Panic!

Sweety8587: Angel, eh? I prefer Spike. I'm _such_ a sucker for that accent, not to mention his bad-boy 'tude…

darkstorm5000: Carol's ability to control Rogue's powers is actually what inspired me to start this fic. Not a lot of attention was paid to that fact in the comics, so I wanted to explore it. I think that's where my hatred of Carol developed, Rogue's always been my favourite character so my loyalty lies with her. Hmm, I wonder if I'll be able to pass on some of my hatred to you… I'll try my best. ;-)

Cat2fat900/Overlordess of Squirrels: Don't worry about the confusion, it happens to the best of us! But speaking of my joint fic, mel and I are finally working on new chapters as we speak (well, technically as I type and you read), so keep your eyes peeled!

simba317: Still in _complete_ agreement with you on not killing the Romy! Shall we smite Marvel together? You bring the pitchforks and torches, I'll gather up the angry mob… I enjoy Rogue and Carol's differences too. Wouldn't this fic make for really easy essay questions in English class? 'Compare and contrast these two characters.' Hah, Remy and Carl, that made me laugh! No, we certainly can't have Remy seem gay, I can just hear the breaking hearts of millions of fangirls… I wouldn't like a coffee with all of Carol's crap, but I am addicted to chocolate-banana lattes, yum. I'll only drink sugary coffees that don't actually taste like coffee!

Calliann: Hah, the cow comment made me laugh. I wholeheartedly concur – I'm surprised she isn't mooing.

Seven Sunningdale: Remy somehow has the uncanny ability to make everything he does seem perfectly acceptable to rabid fangirls, even things we would find horrible when done by other, less impressive male specimens. I think it's another mutant power of his… Hmm, would you believe _him_ if he told you landlines existed? ;-) By the way, I feel the need to respond to your review for 'the Raven', since you were the only one to comment on the pronunciation of 'foyer' – it was _so_ very difficult for me to write! I winced every time I read it, but dammit, there just weren't enough words that rhymed! I don't know whether to be impressed or disappointed in myself, sacrificing my principles for the sake of artistic integrity…

And I'll just stick in one last random author's note here, just to delay you from reaching the actual chapter… Bwa ha ha! Well, okay, I'll be nice and end it now, I'm sure you all want to know what happens next, right?

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 9 – Curiosity**

**_June 2005_**

Rogue was bored. She had been wandering around the mansion, lost in her thoughts, for about… Well, she had no idea for how long, but she knew it must have been quite a while now – time had the paradoxical tendency to pass at a snail's pace when you wished it to hurry, and to speed up when you wanted more of it. Now the former was occurring, but all she could do was wait and curse it.

When she reached the foyer, she decided to linger a bit, sitting on the bottom steps of the main staircase. With nothing else to do, the girl took off her ever-present gloves and began listlessly examining her fingernails. They were coloured a lovely shade of purple so deep it was almost black, and she held out her hand to admire them. The Mississippian didn't quite know why she painted her nails, since normally nobody would ever see them, but at least it gave her something to do. And besides, she liked how nice and feminine it made her hands look – it was a rare moment of self-indulgence, and she figured she might as well have one thing to enjoy about the bare fingers that could easily be used as deadly weapons. It was strangely optimistic of her, realizing it was better to appreciate their few positive aspects rather than constantly staring at them like a haunted Lady Macbeth…

Slowly exhaling, both from impatience and dejection, Rogue pulled her gloves back on and kept waiting. She watched as Jean walked by, stiffly inclining her head in civil acknowledgement. When Jamie ran past her, she ruffled his hair affectionately, but then winced as he tripped on the steps, prompting four multiples to roll out of him. As the five little boys stampeded upstairs, louder than a herd of elephants, they passed Kitty as she descended.

"Hey Rogue, are you, like, still waiting?" the young girl asked perkily, her ponytail swinging in the air as she bounced down and sat next to her friend.

"Naw, Ah'm doin' th' Macarena," Rogue muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Of course Ah'm still waitin', what's it look like Ah'm doin'?"

"Geez, no need to be so snappy," Kitty pouted.

"Sorry," came the apology. "Yah know Ah always get a bit anxious when it's time fo' my switch…"

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry, it's no big deal. Do you want me to wait with you?"

Before a reply could be voiced, the mansion's large oak front doors swung open with a gust of wind and a tall, lithe blonde girl stepped inside.

"Never mind," Shadowcat muttered, grimacing and then standing up. "There's your cue."

"Thanks for th' offer though," Rogue added in appreciation. "Ah'll see ya next month, okay?"

The psyche nodded before flouncing off down a side hallway with a parting wave. After she had departed, Rogue got up, staring at Carol in a scrutinizing manner as she remained dawdling inside the doorway. She had a star struck look in her blue eyes and an uncharacteristic beam on her face, especially considering the situation.

"Uh, hi Carol," the auburn-haired girl addressed her tentatively. Why did she seem so happy? She was never in such a cheery state when they did this…

"Oh, hi!" she greeted, seeming to come out of her daze, and literally skipping over to her.

"Wow, yah seem in a good mood today…" she stated the obvious.

"I really am!" Carol grinned widely.

"Can Ah ask why?"

"Oh, I don't know, I just had a really fun time…" she smiled secretively, but not caring to elaborate. She seemed to get lost in thought once more, a far-off look materializing while she ran her fingers softly over her lips and giggled.

Rogue tried to fight her annoyance at the rather flighty behaviour – she simply wanted to hurry up and get the process over with. "Carol? Yah in there?" she called, waving a hand in front of her.

"…What?" the girl asked, startled as her eyes focused on the goth once more. "Oh, sorry, did you want something?"

"Yeah," Rogue replied pointedly. "How about a recap of th' last month?" That is, if she could get her head out of the clouds… What on earth had prompted her bizarre behaviour?

"Oh, you didn't miss much," Carol brushed her off. "Mainly just the younger kids freaking out about their upcoming exams, being really loud and annoying. Oh, and Cyclops started giving me lessons on the X-jet flight simulator. Nothing too exciting, really…"

When the blonde trailed off with another distant look, the Southerner knew it was a lost cause. Carol usually wasn't very good for a rundown of the previous month's events – the lack of information was almost expected, but the attitude accompanying it certainly wasn't. What had she been up to? Shrugging it off, she knew she would simply have to get a more detailed version from Kitty – that girl would ensure she'd get every iota of gossip and information from the tri-county area.

"Well, okay!" Rogue declared, having had enough. "Ah'll see yah next month then."

Carol didn't even notice the goodbye. She just walked away humming some ridiculously upbeat and jaunty tune, most likely one of her lovey-dovey pop songs that made Rogue cringe. Rolling her eyes in frustration, the auburn-haired mutant decided it was high time her ears were exposed to good music once again. She swiftly strode out of her mental facsimile of the Institute, exiting through the wide open doors. The instant she stepped outside she was sucked into a swirling, rushing whirlpool of colour and sensation, pulling her towards consciousness once again…

- X -

Slowly opening her eyes, Rogue let her features mould into a contented expression – she was back in control of her body once more, which always came with a warm and satisfying feeling. She couldn't help but be extraordinarily grateful this month, thankful to get away from Carol's giddy tittering about God knows what. Knowing that girl, it was probably something pointless… She couldn't help but feel appreciative that their arrangement meant they rarely spent any time together, or else she would probably be driven insane by the Bostonian's giggles and girlishness. In fact, Jean already accomplished that, so having the redheaded telepath around was more than enough – she definitely didn't wish to deal with two such capricious creatures.

As she contemplated all that however, the reality behind her ruminations set it, and Rogue frowned. How could she even consider such things, being grateful about a scenario that essentially cost an innocent person her life? Those were horrible things to think, especially since she herself had killed the girl…

Slowly crawling out of bed, she headed towards her shower, a dark cloud of guilt now following her. She tried to enjoy the sensation of the warm water pelting her skin – one of the few things that could caress it without danger – but the shameful feelings wouldn't leave. She felt torn – she didn't want to constantly blame herself during her precious time in control of her body, and yet she didn't feel right about simply ignoring the pain either. After all, the blame was hers to shoulder…

Heaving a gusty sigh, Rogue patted herself dry with a fluffy red towel and headed towards her closet. The girl tried to focus all of her attention on pulling on a black skirt, a pair of fishnets, and a slate-coloured peasant top with billowing sleeves. Perhaps if she kept herself occupied with trivial tasks then she wouldn't have to deal with the nagging culpability she assigned herself… At least, not until she retreated back into her mind once more, where there were little distractions from mulling over her weary existence.

Shaking her head firmly, the girl resolved to end the self-pitying thoughts, if only for the moment. Instead, she reached for her eyeliner and applied her makeup. After the task was completed she pulled on her gloves and headed out the door, steering herself towards the kitchen. A nice, hearty breakfast usually made her feel better.

She hadn't been expecting to run into anybody, especially due to the early hour, but to Rogue's surprise she found the kitchen already occupied by a certain Cajun. Not feeling up to any particularly witty repartee with him this morning (despite the fact that in some instances she actually – did she dare admit it? – _enjoyed_ the banter), she chose to remain silent. Leaning against the doorframe, she watched him scurry around, cracking eggs into a skillet, then tossing in bacon, sausages and spices.

The delicious odour wafting towards her prompted her stomach to start growling so loudly that she was surprised Remy hadn't noticed her there. Her hunger encouraging her to move, she walked further into the room and softly said, "Hey."

The usually unflappable young man jumped slightly, but quickly recovered. Looking over at her, a smile crossed his lips. "Hey yo'self, _chère_. Welcome back."

"Thanks," Rogue replied, moving closer and examining the meal he was preparing. "What'cha makin'? Smells good."

"Remy's breakfast special," he exclaimed, using the spatula to flip the eggs and meat with flair. "I've got a lot here, y' want some?"

The offer was unexpected, but appreciated. "Sure, that'd be great."

"_Bien_, one mouth-orgasm comin' up!" he smirked arrogantly, tossing a wink her way while divvying the food up onto two plates.

The girl rolled her eyes as she sat at the table. "Gosh, if Ah didn't know any better, Ah'd say yah think awful highly o' yerself," she drawled sarcastically.

"Dat I do," he informed her matter-of-factly, coming over and setting the dishes down on the table in front of them. "But dat's only 'cause I'm so great at everyt'in'."

Rogue just sniffed indignantly in response, picked up her fork and dug in. The eggs were delicious, the best she'd had in a long time, and she shovelled them in her mouth as the pair ate in companionable silence.

After a few minutes, she could feel Remy watching her. Trying to ignore it at first, she found she couldn't – snapping her head up and pinning him with a glare, she caught him looking at her with an odd expression. It was examining, investigative – like the looks on the faces of Beast and Forge when they itched to take a gadget apart to see how it worked. "What?"

"Y' okay, _chère_?" he searched her worriedly. "Y' don't exactly seem y'self dis mornin'. Been a bit quiet, an' y've barely even insulted me!"

"Ah'm fine," she shrugged it off. "Just been in a sorta melancholy mood, Ah guess."

"Why? I mean, y' just got back, isn't dat cause f'r some happiness?"

The girl looked down at her breakfast, poking at her food. "No, of course it is… It's just that sometimes it gets me thinkin' about th' situation at large, an' that usually puts meh in a funk."

"Oh, I see… Dere any'tin' I can do about it?"

She blinked, surprised at his apparent concern. "Uh, no, Ah don't think so." Unless he could turn back time so she wouldn't have absorbed Carol, but that didn't seem likely. Damn, there she went again, thinking about it all once more when she had promised herself she wouldn't… "Look, swamp rat, Ah don't wanna talk about it, okay?"

Thankfully, he seemed to take her request seriously and changed the subject promptly. "Swamp rat? Ah, _chère_, how I missed y' callin' me dat!"

"Ah'm sure," she scoffed, munching on a crispy strip of bacon.

"Good, den y're right," Remy winked, purposely ignoring her implied disbelief, much to her annoyance. "Anyway," he went on, swallowing a mouthful of eggs. "Was hopin' I could ask y' somet'in'."

Rogue automatically tensed – when one spoke those words it never indicated a pleasant conversation. "Yah can ask, but that doesn't necessarily mean Ah'll answer…"

"Fair enough," he conceded. "I was wonderin' about yo' powers."

"Mah powers?"

"_Oui_."

"What do yah mean? Yah know what they are."

"_Oui_, but I want t' know more," he elaborated.

The girl scowled, liking neither the line of questioning nor the probing feel of it. "There ain't much more ta know. Ah touch a person's skin, Ah absorb their memories an' consciousness, they get knocked out, their psyche gets stuck in mah head."

"An' y' can't control it?"

"No, yah know Ah can't," she grumbled. Where was all this going?

"Not even a little bit?" he prodded.

"No!" Rogue gritted out, gripping her utensils tighter. This conversation definitely wasn't making her feel any better. Yet another reminder of her curse, of her inability to live a normal life – as if the bare skin and human contact around her wasn't mocking enough, now it was being callously brought up right to her face!

Remy wrinkled his brow in deliberation. "Y' ever t'ink about de fact dat mebbe it's all in yo' head? Like, mebbe y' can control it, but dere's some small part o' yerself dat's stoppin' it?"

"Excuse me?" she cried, infuriated. A small part of her knew that he didn't mean it in spite, but the comment incensed her like nothing else, and she saw red. The last thing she needed was some damn swamp rat trying to play psychologist, thinking (and quite wrongly!) that he could somehow fix her powers when even Professor Xavier couldn't! "What th' hell is this? Who th' hell are yah ta try an' pretend like yah know what mah problem is?"

"'M sorry Rogue, I didn't mean t' upset y'," a flustered Remy tried to explain, taken aback by her hostility. "I was just curious, dat's all!"

"There's nothin' ta be curious about! Ah don't have control, end of story!" she spat out, her green eyes flaring with a livid rage. "And Ah already manage ta be reminded o' that fact every single day, so just drop it!"

With that, she violently shoved her empty plate towards him with a clatter and stormed out of the room.

- X -

The thief groaned when Rogue left, letting his head drop onto the table with a dull smack. How had he managed to screw that up so badly, to infuriate her so much? His inquisition had honestly been due to interest, not a purposeful attempt to anger her – however, his interest had not been satisfied like he had hoped. Instead it had only grown, with the few answers he had received obviously incongruent with the events of last night.

Remy couldn't stop his features from breaking out in a huge grin at the reminiscence. The gentle strokes of those supple lips against his, their softness, their sweet taste… With the way things had been progressing with Rogue, he had doubted that something like that would ever occur. It seemed about as likely as him returning to New Orleans, professing his undying love and devotion to Belle, and then rushing her to a Vegas chapel to get hitched right away. In other words, the situation had about a snowball's chance in hell of happening – and yet, to his astonishment, it miraculously had. Well, no, actually, it hadn't – it had been Carol kissing him, after all. But technically, weren't they Rogue's flawless and unspoiled lips?

His eyes had been drawn to them practically the entire time she was in the kitchen, from when they were gently manipulated to form words to when they were seductively encasing morsels of food on her fork. He had actually contemplated a re-enactment of last night, simply pouncing across the table and capturing them with his own, but had managed to restrain himself. It was probably for the best (despite the lack of kisses it resulted in), because if the girl had been telling the truth about having no control over her powers whatsoever then the action would have ended very badly. It was simply a tragedy that she was untouchable…

That pondering only brought him back to his original enquiry. How on earth had that wonderful moment happened, how had Carol been able to kiss him last night? It was clear that the other girl had mastery over the absorption, but he was at a loss to how that could have come about. Twirling his fork absentmindedly, Remy attempted to brainstorm the possibilities.

One option was that Rogue possessed control as well, and had been lying about being at the mercy of her powers. However, that seemed incredibly improbable. It was plain to see that Rogue craved skin-on-skin contact – no matter how much she tried to hide it, longing and jealousy could be seen in her expressive emerald eyes whenever she watched others touch, whether it was Scott and Jean holding hands or Kitty unsubtly trying to brush against Piotr. Besides, she flinched whenever somebody's hand on her took her by surprise – why would she do that if she knew nothing would happen?

Conversely, Carol never recoiled from physical contact. She knew that she had nothing to fear from Rogue's powers… But was it due to some natural resistance, or had she deliberately achieved control? Yet again, that begged the question of _how_.

The Cajun had absolutely no answers, something he didn't enjoy. Pushing his plate away and abandoning what little food he had left, he stood. He couldn't eat when he had so much on his mind, and he had to at least attempt to quell his curiosity. It was clear that Rogue and Carol were unapproachable on the subject. The former would most likely bite his head off at any further tries to discuss it, while the latter, no matter how much he had her eating out of the palm of his hand, would have to be at least a tad uncomfortable and suspicious at his queries.

Glancing over at the digital clock on the microwave, he noted the time. Only a few others would be up at this hour, but amongst them would most likely be Hank McCoy – perhaps he would be able to clear things up, much like he had a few months previous. It was early, yes, but he had an inkling that the good doctor would already be working down in the lab. In fact, he never seemed to leave it, which made the Cajun wonder if the man even had a bedroom….

Descending into the sub-levels of the Xavier Institute, the teen wandered through the hallways until he reached a particular door. As he moved in front of it, it smoothly slid open in the manner of various sci-fi works, allowing him entrance to the laboratory. Moving inside, his eyes instantly began to search out Hank McCoy. He was puzzled when he was nowhere to be seen – a large, blue, hairy man was not an easy sight to miss.

"Dr. McCoy?" the thief called out. "Y' in here?"

When there was no response, Remy took it upon himself to investigate. Walking between various machines and pieces of equipment, he reached the end of the lab, where the Beast was hunched over a table, tinkering with something. He looked to be deep in concentration, not having acknowledged his company.

"Dr. McCoy?" Remy repeated, trying to announce his presence.

Apparently he had come over too stealthily, for his words greatly surprised the scientist. His large, dextrous hands jerked in shock, spilling the contents of a test-tube into the beaker in front of him. The instant the two liquids combined an explosion occurred, sending billowing black smoke into the air and into Hank's face. "Oh my stars and garters!"

"_Merde_," the younger mutant winced. "Sorry, Henri, didn't mean t' startle y' like dat."

"It's quite alright, my Cajun comrade," the man coughed, waving the smoke away with his arms and turning toward his visitor. When he did so, and took his plastic safety goggles off, Remy had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling at the black soot on his fur, outlining where the goggles had just been. "Unfortunately, combustions are quite the common occurrence in my laboratory. One most likely would have transpired even had you not come in."

"Well still, I'm sorry."

"Worry not, _Monsieur_ LeBeau," Beast glossed over the apology, and then gestured for Remy to follow him as he walked back over to the main lab area. "Now come, why don't we quaff a cup of coffee while you enlighten me to the purpose behind your visitation?"

"What, y' mean other den helpin' y' meet yo' explosion quota f'r de day?" Remy asked innocently.

Hank chuckled as he made his way towards a counter, reaching for two ceramic mugs. "You are here for a reason, and I am dubious that it is simply due to my skills in percolation."

"Hey, don't sell yo'self short – y' make damn good coffee, _homme_!"

"That may be true," he allowed, pouring it. "But usually the only company I receive involves medical emergencies, requiring assistance with science homework, or seeking explanations to the various complicated questions that the bright young minds of the Institute come up with. And since you appear to be in impeccable physical condition and do not attend school from which homework would be assigned, I therefore must deduce that you are here seeking knowledge."

"Ahh, dat makes me sound like I'm on a noble quest," grinned Remy, accepting the drink. He quickly eyed it to make sure it was indeed coffee, having learned that when in the laboratory, it was prudent to ensure one was ingesting the correct thing. His eyes then roved over the novelty mug, amusedly reading, 'Protect bacteria: it's the only culture some people have'.

Beast raised a brow over his own cup (which, Remy noted, read 'Kiss the Chemist'). "Well, do you have some noble purpose?"

The Cajun paused and thought about it for a second. "Mebbe… Y' don't mind me pickin' yo' brain f'r a few minutes, do y'?"

"Of course not," he shook his head. "I was a teacher, after all – I enjoy imparting what wisdom I have to others. What is on your mind?"

"Well," the other man began in a suddenly serious tone. "I was wonderin'… Which came first, de chicken or de egg?"

Hank blinked. "Oh… Yes, well, a classic question, but one actually not that difficult to answer. Obviously an egg could not just materialize out of nowhere, but –"

"Henri, I was kiddin'," Remy interrupted the man before he could go on any further and provide an entire dissertation.

"Oh." Then he chortled. "Of course, of course. Although I could answer if you truly desired to know…"

"_Non_, I'm curious about somet'in' else, actually."

"What might that be, then?"

"Rogue."

The older mutant raised an eyebrow, but then nodded. "Yes, Rogue is quite the intriguing girl, is she not? But I am at a loss as to what I could answer. I suggest asking her directly if you wish to learn something about her – she is the expert on the subject, after all."

"I know I should ask her, but I don't t'ink she wants t' talk t' me at de moment," Remy squirmed. "Besides, I'm wonderin' about somet'in' dat I don't t'ink she really knows about herself."

"Whatever do you mean?" Hank queried in interest.

"I was wonderin' about her powers," he admitted.

"Ahh, that fascinating conundrum," the man smiled, taking a sip of his drink. "You are certainly not the first to wonder about them."

"What can y' tell me about dem?" Remy prompted, hoping the good doctor could provide at least some insight to satiate his inquisitiveness.

"Probably no more than what you are already aware of," he frowned. "Are you not cognizant of their full effects?"

"_Non_, I know all dat, I've seen dem at work," the thief replied. He knew the basics, but he wanted comprehension beyond that. "I meant about _why_ dey work. Why does she absorb people, why can't she control it?"

"I'm afraid I only have vague assumptions," Dr. McCoy sighed. "As clichéd as it sounds, Rogue's powers are a riddle wrapped in an enigma, enshrouded in mystery. Unfortunately, we have no safe or effective ways of experimenting with potential solutions due to the harm that could be done to both Rogue and any subjects she would need to test her control on. All Professor Xavier and I have come up with are hypotheses, nothing more."

Assumptions and hypotheses? Well, that was substantially more than he had, only possessing unsure guesses. "So what are dey, den?"

Remy watched as Hank's eyes lit up, as if ecstatic to finally have a chance to explain his scientific theories to an engrossed audience. "Well," the blue mutant started, pulling out a stool and perching on it. "My presumptions are based on the fact that Rogue's powers are psychological in nature. They must be controlled in her mind – her skin is not the cause of the absorption."

"How do you know dat?" the Cajun solicited, putting down his coffee and regarding the doctor intently.

"By employing simple logic. The epidermis, which is the outermost layer of skin, is composed of sub-layers, or strata. The one on the surface of the body is called the stratum corneum – it is composed mostly of lifeless cells, which lack nuclei. Of course, that fact directed me towards investigating the lack of protein synthesis which therefore could not chemically trigger the absorption…" Hank trailed off when he noticed the confused expression beginning to grace Remy's visage. "…But I have an inkling that if I try to elucidate the processes of transcription and translation to you, it would only result in a blank stare."

"Y're pro'ly right," he agreed, having managed to follow the words up until that point. "Any way y' can give me de Cliff Notes version?"

"Well, simply put, the surface of the skin is made up of dead cells. Since they are technically lifeless, they cannot perform any functions."

Remy absently bit his lip in reflection. "Meanin' it's not de skin itself doin' de absorbin'… But den why does it always happen when her skin touches someone?"

"My guess is that the skin is merely the mechanism her mind uses to channel the absorption – a sort of conduit, if you will," Dr. McCoy enlightened him. "I believe that her skin does not physically carry out the absorbing, but rather Rogue's _mind_ does – skin-on-skin contact, for lack of a better term, is the middleman activating the transfer." He then shrugged helplessly. "But of course, I am not privy to the inner workings of her mind, so I cannot be sure."

The boy took this all in, nodding. It seemed to make sense… At least, until the end. "Wait. If it's all in Rogue's mind, den why doesn't she just will herself t' stop de absorption when she touches someone?"

"Oh, if only it were that simple!" Hank shook his head sadly. "It is most likely unconscious on her part – but whether due to conditioning or biological forces, I do not know."

"What do y' mean?"

"Well, by 'biological forces', I mean the way her mutation is genetically coded. For instance, perhaps the way her powers were hardwired was for her body to crave excess energy, thus triggering absorption. Or perhaps it is the psyches in her mind that demand more energy… A number of possibilities exist."

Remy knit his brows – so was Dr. McCoy basically conveying that he could tell him nothing? He shook the doubts away, still voracious for more insight. "What was de ot'er t'ing y' mentioned, about conditionin'?"

"Ahh yes, a fascinating subject! Rogue's lack of control may be due to a conditioned fear response. Simply put, when her powers first manifested, it was a terribly frightening and traumatic experience – that one instance may have strongly paired the stimulus of skin-on-skin contact with the reaction of absorption. That could lead to touching another's skin being the conditioned stimulus which automatically prompts the conditioned response of her powers activating."

"So… Basically because dat happened de very first time an' it freaked her out, her mind put de two t'ings t'get'er and it happens every time?" Remy attempted to simplify things, trying to reconcile that answer with what little he knew of Pavlov and his salivating dogs.

"Essentially, yes," Hank nodded, pleased that his pupil was able to follow along. "Remember though, these are only my theories. I do not yet know which is correct, or even if both factors are working together."

"Right, right," the boy muttered, and then jerked his head up with a thought. "Henri, y' said dat de conditionin' was due t' a fearful experience, _oui_? Well, if dat's de reason f'r Rogue's lack o' control, den couldn't Carol control Rogue's powers? I mean, she wouldn't have gone t'rough de same frightening situation, henh?"

"That is an interesting supposition, Mr. LeBeau," the Beast mused, pulling his glasses from a pocket and pushing them up the bridge of his nose. "I truly loathe being unable to answer your questions, but once again I must inform you that I am uncertain. If the answer lies in conditioning, then Carol _may_ be able to control the absorption – however, if something like my earlier example of the psyches craving energy plays a role, then it may not be that simple. If that were the case and one girl had control, then it would most likely point to a difference in the internal organization of their minds while they have command over Rogue's body. Unfortunately, Professor Xavier cannot scan either girl, so once again the answers remain rather elusive."

He grabbed Remy's attention with his last comment. "Wait, what do y' mean by dat? Xavier can't get in deir heads?"

"Oh, I suppose I should amend that statement," Hank uttered apologetically. "Rogue has very strong mental shielding, making it virtually impossible for the Professor to enter her mind. Now Carol's shields, while still stronger than most, are weaker than Rogue's. This indicates some sort of change in her mind structure – however, she does not feel comfortable having the Professor in her mind, and he respects her wishes, of course."

The younger man frowned, finding that suspicious. Carol really was hiding her secret well, wasn't she? He supposed he would have to wait until next month to ask her about it… He sighed, downing the last of his coffee (now cold) and placing the cup back on the counter. "Well, _merci_ f'r takin' de time t' explain all dat Henri, I appreciate it."

"You're quite welcome," Hank replied amiably, taking off his glasses and wiping them on a clean spot on his otherwise sooty lab coat. "Although before you leave, could I perhaps entreat as to what prompted all your queries?"

Remy supposed he could very effortlessly lie, saying it was simply a friend's concern. After all, the doctor spent all of his time in his lab, and knew little of the teens' fickle relationships – he would not be suspicious of the boy suddenly categorizing himself as Rogue's friend. However, the truth was always easier to keep track of, especially when the thief already had numerous lies in play. "Well, I was talkin' t' Rogue dis mornin', an' I was wonderin' about her powers," he answered honestly. "I was curious, y' see, but she didn't take too kindly t' my pryin'."

"I don't think you can blame her for that," the blue man pointed out. "Understandably, it is a rather sensitive topic for her."

"_Oui_, I figured dat out de hard way," Remy chuckled wryly. "An' dat's why I came t' y' instead, figured y' could give me better answers."

"Well, I hope I managed to adequately assuage your uncertainties."

"Dat y' did," the Cajun assured him with a thankful grin, which then quickly turned into a worried grimace. "Now my only problem is how t' apologize t' Rogue f'r pissin' her off…"

* * *

For all of those who may be a tad confused about the beginning of the chapter, it was taking place in Rogue's mind – basically, her month in her mind is spent in a mental projection of the Institute, filled with her psyches. More will be explained about that in a few chapters, you'll have to wait for that.

Anyhoo. Huzzah, patented Hank McCoy sciencey babble, raising even more questions about Rogue's powers! But of course, I think the more important question is regarding what Remy will do next…

**Next chapter** – Remy tries to apologize – will Rogue accept, or make him sweat?

So I spend my time writing out chapters for you all to read. What do I get in return? Yes, your eternal gratitude and admiration is nice, but how about you express that in a nice review? It's called reciprocity, people! ;-)

Toodles,

– ish –


	10. Apology

**Disclaimer:** After 9 chapters of this, you really should've figured it out by now…

**A/N:** Hey, to all my fellow Canadians out there – happy Canada Day, eh? And of course, a happy birthday on the 2nd to SnarkyKat! I happen to know she's hoping for lots of pesky reviews begging her to update her fic, hint hint… ;-)

Calliann, The Past, PsychoRomyChica, Freak87, demiducky25, Shockgoddess, A Denial, EE's Skysong, Rikku Ree, wildcardrose, Cat2fat900, MusiqMistress, Rogue14, TheRealMai, TheDreamerLady, enchantedlight, Satin Nightingale, AnalisDestiny, & Natural: Aww shucks, you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside… Thanks for your kind words!

darkstorm5000: I find us delving deep into the reasons why we do or don't feel for certain characters to be quite intriguing! I feel like we should be lying on a psychiatrist's couch or something… I suppose I can feel _some_ sympathy for comic Carol, since she wasn't truly the villain in the situation, but I sort of identified her as the bad guy after the fact. I mean, my first exposure to the X-Men was with the animated series, where I really liked Rogue – then I learned the comic canon and the trouble Carol caused, and my loyalty lay with Rogue first. Hmm, maybe that's my motivation for making Carol more antagonistic here…

SweetRevenge151: Yes, a cage full of 80s faves, what fun! Can we add Boy George to the mix? Hey, how was Glastonbury? I heard it was rather wet… Speaking of wet, yes, dousing Carol with holy water sounds like great fun, I bet she'd do a whole 'Wicked Witch of the West' thing with the melting. Bwa ha ha!

Eileen Blazer: Yes, the quick conversion from wanting to smack Remy to forgiving him is quite the mystery, isn't it? In response to your question about why I do that to you, might I rebut with asking why you would willingly pair up Kitty and Remy? I think we're both a bit sadistic – but who will crack first? Oh well, learning that you easily bow under peer pressure is reassuring, what with hordes of your reviewers demanding Romy… Yay. ;-)

simba317: Yay, another person joining me on the bandwagon for pronouncing foyer the French way, _thank you_! I honestly can't _stand_ it said the other way, I want to kill anybody that does it. I liked the fingernails part too – it's good Rogue has that positive thought, and yet at the same time it's sad because it's only about such a tiny and insignificant thing. Oh, I _wish_ Carol could return to her own body – especially since it's dead, so she'd be stuck in some rotting corpse, hah! The term self-actualization was termed by Carl Jung, by the way. And don't fret, this chapter and the next have Rogue aplenty!

Sweety8587: Yeah, Spike definitely got less fun when he began pining for Buffy, but hey, that didn't stop me from drooling! The one good thing about their relationship was more shots of him without clothing… Yum!

missy42: Glad you liked Beast! I find him easy to write, I tend to use big words a lot too. I'm a walking thesaurus!

Minnaloushe: I almost pity your brother, getting between a rabid fangirl and her fics isn't very smart… Good luck with the murderousness!

IvyZoe: Ooh, very good questions you brought up. Remy's not too sure about his feelings at the moment – Carol quite obviously annoys him and he has more fun with Rogue, but he hasn't quite come to any realizations about it all just yet. Don't worry, that and all those other issues will be addressed eventually!

I feel bad for the long wait, so here you go, a nice long chapter! Huzzah.

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 10 – Apology**

**_June 2005_**

Rogue thundered up the stairs furiously, her dismal mood from earlier that morning having evolved into anger. Who did that damn swamp rat think he was, assuming he had the answers to a mystery as complex as her powers? She scoffed at his audacity. He acted like he had it all figured out – that the problem was all up in her head, that it was her fault she couldn't control the absorption... As if it was as simple as flicking a switch on or off, or simply wishing it away!

No, it was all much more complicated than that, it had to be – she just didn't know what else it entailed… She tried, she really did – every time her powers kicked in she did her best to force them back, she fought tooth and nail to will them away and push them behind a barrier. She exerted every possible effort to stop them, but each time a new voice still entered her head, joining the cacophony already present.

Perhaps it wasn't due to her mind at all? Maybe it was something purely physical, something that couldn't be tamed and subdued… Rogue definitely didn't like that option. Yet in some minuscule way, having the solution rest beyond her reach was better than thinking she had the ability for control and simply being unable to grasp it.

She froze on her way down the hall, shaking her head and despising herself for thinking that way. Sure, she was cynical and pessimistic, but she liked to fancy herself a sort of Wonder Woman – she wasn't the type to give up easily, she was the type to fight. And fighting certainly appealed to her at the moment… Scowling, the girl lashed out and released some of her frustration on the innocent wall beside her, kicking it with her combat boot.

Rogue was already swiftly moving past the spot that had unfortunately bore the brunt of her wrath when a door opened, and Logan stepped out. "Hey Stripes," he greeted her, shooting her a smile that others rarely saw. "About damn time ya came back."

"Hey Logan," she replied, still on edge but glad to see a friendly face. "It's good ta see yah."

He looked behind her, noting the dent and crumbling plaster she had left in her wake, and raised a bushy eyebrow. "Seems like you've had a swell start to yer mornin'," he commented casually, long accustomed to seeing damage and destruction around the mansion.

"Gee, what gave it away?" Like usual, he didn't pry any further, and Rogue appreciated that. She wasn't in the mood for further discussion, or to keep dwelling.

The Canuck looked at her and cracked his knuckles keenly. "Ya want to relieve that tension with some training?"

"Are yah actually riskin' yer hide ta be in th' immediate vicinity while Ah get th' rage outta mah system?" the girl asked eagerly, green eyes wide with anticipation. She undoubtedly needed an outlet, and with Wolverine, she wouldn't have to worry about accidentally hurting him too much – either with her own powers, or Carol's.

The man shrugged nonchalantly, even though he knew full well the damage that a rampaging Rogue could cause – but he was a brawler at heart, and lived for those moments.

"Aww shucks, yah must've really missed meh, huh?" she teased her mentor, her friend, and the closest thing she had to a father.

"I've been itchin' for a good fight – Danvers' powers made things a bit more challenging, but she ain't got yer skills," he informed her. Then, with a smirk, he added, "Plus, she whines too much when I take her down."

"Okay, but yah better prepare ta be pummelled," she warned him with some good-natured boasting, their little pre-combat tradition.

"What makes ya think I'll be the one gettin' pummelled? I'm the only one in this place that could take you on," the man snorted, beginning to walk away, gesturing for her to follow. "'Sides, after a month of loungin' around up in that head of yours, you've probably gone soft."

"Well Wolvie, Ah'll just be nice an' let yah dwell under that false impression fo' a while," she drawled sweetly, batting her eyelashes exaggeratedly. "Until our rumble starts, that is…"

"Then I guess I'll be nice too, and won't tell ya you're wrong," Logan retorted as they reached the end of the hall and he pressed a button embedded in the wall, prompting the wooden panelling to slide back. "At least, not until we get down there and I wipe the floor with ya."

"Ah suppose we'll see then, won't we?" Rogue taunted as the pair entered the elevator. "But Ah'd be prepared ta get _real_ familiar with th' view o' th' ceiling if Ah were yah, 'cause that's all yah'll be seein' when yah're flat on yo' back…"

Wolverine chuckled as the doors closed, and the two descended to the sublevels of the Institute. "Stripes, it really is great to have ya back."

- X -

An hour and a half later found a much calmer Rogue emerging from her shower once again, this one having cooled her off from her intense workout. The endorphins had done their job, having mellowed her mood greatly – although being able to use the feral Canadian as a punching bag probably helped as well.

She stretched leisurely before wrapping a fuzzy towel around herself, even allowing a small smile to slip on to her face. Her earlier confrontation with the swamp rat was far from forgotten, but she could do what she normally did and simply ignore it, like she did with most of his antics. Well, for now, at least – how she would deal with him later on was a different story.

Leaning down to pick her discarded clothes up off the tiled floor, the girl swiftly dressed herself and then padded out into her bedroom. Wringing her wet hair out, she was reaching for her brush when a knock at the door interrupted her. Recognizing the cheery tapping pattern instantly, Rogue made her way over and opened it.

"Hi!" squealed Kitty from the other side, who then practically pounced on Rogue, capturing her in a hug.

"Hey Kit," the goth laughed at her friend's enthusiasm. "Ah was wonderin' when yah'd come by…"

"Yeah, well I was wondering when you'd come back!" the younger girl exclaimed, pulling away and bouncing into the room.

Rogue closed the door behind her. "What do yah mean? Ah've been gone a month, th' same time as every switch. It's not like Ah can make it go by any faster!"

"Which sucks," Kitty pouted, plopping down on the bed. "It just seems like this last one went on _forever_!"

"Yeah, well, Ah know th' feelin'. At least yah have some entertainment out in th' real world."

"But at least you didn't have to, like, deal with Carol!"

"True," the Southerner mumbled, the comment only making her think back on her earlier ruminations as she headed back to the bureau for her hairbrush.

"I mean, she was even more annoying than usual this month!" the other mutant continued ranting, not noticing the discomfort she was causing. "I didn't think that was even possible!"

"Ah'd have ta agree with yah there," Rogue concurred, but smiled rather awkwardly.

Kitty finally noticed the change in demeanour, and her eyes widened with guilt. "Oh crap, Rogue, I'm sorry! I know you get uncomfortable when we talk about Carol like that!"

"It's okay, Kit, really," she assured her with a wave of a hand. "Ah know yah're not her biggest fan, an' believe me, Ah understand wantin' ta complain about her."

"No, I know you don't like it," her friend insisted. "I'll stop, really."

"It's not that Ah don't like it," Rogue sighed, moving to drop down beside Kitty on the soft mattress as she began to clarify. "Ah'd like ta join in, Ah find her as irritatin' as yah do… But it's just that Ah feel awful bitchin' about her when Ah was th' one that killed her, yah know? Ah don't have th' right."

"Oh Rogue, do I have to give you, like, another lecture about how that wasn't your fault?" Kitty frowned in concern, comfortingly placing one of her hands over her friend's gloved ones. "You've done more than enough to try and atone for it, even though you didn't need to. You know, I think you make too many allowances for Carol because of your guilt…"

"Could we please not get inta that whole debate?" she pleaded, shaking out of her grip and beginning to slowly move the brush through her damp auburn and white tresses. The discussion was heading back into the negative and depressing territory she had been in earlier, and she was hoping to stay away from it.

"Fine," the other girl thankfully relented, albeit reluctantly. "How about your monthly recap then?"

Rogue smiled, due to both the change in subject and eagerness to be caught up on recent events she had missed. "That'd be great. Ah tried ta get it out of Carol, but she was actin' really strange." Not that Carol was exactly the most reliable of sources anyway. Rogue wasn't naïve – she trusted her best friend much more than the girl who held her responsible for taking her life.

"Strange? That's a weak descriptor!" Kitty groaned, making a face. "She's been really giddy lately. I swear, her giggles are shrill enough to like, break glass!"

"Ah wonder why…"

"Actually, I think I might have an idea," she mused and then leaned in close, as if she were about to impart some great secret passed down throughout the ages. "Remy!"

Rogue frowned. "What about him?"

"I think it's because of Remy! I totally think she likes him or something!"

"Oh, she'd definitely be th' type ta fall fo' his so-called 'charm'," she scowled, crossing her arms dourly without even realizing it. "But what makes yah say that?"

"Just the way she acts when I see them," Kitty replied, thinking back on her observations. "I mean, I guess they're friends, even though I don't see them together too much. But when I do, like at dinner or something, she just acts so completely obvious! She tries not to show it, but she's really not that great an actress – it's clear she's fawning over him."

The other girl's brow furrowed. "That's weird, she hasn't mentioned anything about him – Ah would've thought she'd make her gushin' more vocal or somethin'…" An unsettling feeling twitched inside of her, but she told herself it was merely curiosity, nothing more. "What about Remy?"

Kitty shrugged. "I don't think he particularly likes her or anything. He flirts with her, sure, but that's how he is around all the girls… Well, except you, that is."

"Excuse meh?"

"Well, haven't you noticed that he acts differently with you?"

"Where've yah been this entire time?" she scoffed. "Did yah forget his constant harassment of me since he got here? Ah think that's a better term fo' it than flirtin'."

"Yeah, but that was a while ago!" Shadowcat pointed out, and Rogue dreadfully noticed the excited glint of matchmaking gleaming in her blue eyes. "You two are like, friends now! He's not the same around you, you have to admit that. It's like he's more serious with you or something."

She actually considered her remarks – for a split second that is, before she brushed them off. "No way. If anythin', Ah'd say he's _less_ serious with me. He's only bein' friends 'cause that's all we could ever be – what's the point of flirtin' with me when Ah've got these powers?"

"Or," Kitty excitedly countered with a finger pointed in the air, "He's being friends with you because you _asked_ him to stop flirting with you, remember? He listened to you, because what you want actually means something!"

"Or because Ah yelled at him an' practically kicked his ass…"

"He's not afraid of you, Rogue – of your threats _or_ your powers. Besides, what about him saving you in the Danger Room? And you two going out to that movie?" She ticked off the evidence on her digits. "And –"

"Ah think yah're readin' too much inta this," Rogue groused, ripping the brush through the final tangle in hair with more force than she meant to use. The girl was all too desperate to play Cupid…

"And I think you're using your powers as an excuse, and not letting yourself see the possibilities!" the other mutant shot back, not intimidated in the least by the warning glare she received in return.

Rogue was about to shout back a bitter reply, but bit her tongue just in time. She didn't want another fight, especially not with her best friend, so she forced herself to take a deep breath before carefully choosing her words. "Yah know what? Maybe Ah'm not seein' th' possibilities, but Ah sincerely doubt there are any," she finally said. "On th' best of days we're barely friends, an' that's only if he doesn't piss me off like he did earlier."

"What? What'd he do?"

"He just upset me, that's all. Started talkin' about mah powers…"

"Again with your powers, Rogue!" Kitty cried, but the Southerner cut her off before she could continue.

"Just stop, Kit. Ah know yah're only tryin' ta help, an' Ah appreciate it, Ah really do," Rogue told her sincerely. "But they're not an excuse, they're a _reason_. An' they're a reason Ah don't really want ta think about right now, so can we please change th' subject again?"

The younger girl narrowed her eyes shrewdly. "Okay, I'll let it go for now," she agreed slowly. "But I'm not forgetting about all this! I still think he likes you, and judging by your defensive attitude, I'm thinking you like him too!"

Rogue simply looked at her with the most sceptical look she could muster, refusing to dignify that with a response. "Is this yah lettin' it go?"

"Right, right, changing the subject…" she muttered, but then perked up an instant later. "Ooh! Wanna know about my progress with Piotr?"

"Progress?" The Mississippian raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Yah mean yah actually managed ta do somethin' in his presence other than blush?"

"That's right!" Kitty grinned proudly. "It was last week, when Mr. Logan moved up one of our training sessions, so he told me to go around and spread the message. So I did, and when I knocked on Piotr's door he invited me inside, and –"

"Yah spread it fo' him?" she smirked rakishly.

"Yeah, and…" Then the implications of the words sunk in, and she gasped. "Rogue!"

"What?" she queried with a laugh. "Yah didn't, did yah?"

"Of course not! I can't believe you said that!"

"Oh, lighten up," Rogue snickered. "Ain't that what yah're always tellin' me ta do?"

"Well, yeah…"

"Okay, sorry Ah said it! Excuse meh fo' makin' a joke!" she teased. "Just go on, what happened?"

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Kitty mock-glared, "He invited me inside, which totally surprised me! I mean, you know how private he is, I don't think anybody's been in his room before – and you won't believe what was in there!"

"Th' rottin' corpses o' th' people he's brutally murdered?" the goth put forward casually.

Her friend paused. "What?"

"It's always th' quiet ones that nobody suspects," Rogue shrugged.

"There weren't any dead bodies," the younger girl rolled her eyes, moving past the morbid sense of humour. "There were paintings! You know how he's always carrying his sketchbook around, drawing stuff? Well, he's transferred tons of them to canvas, the walls of his room are practically covered! And they're all so beautiful – he's like, really talented."

Perfect, the tables had turned and now Rogue had the opportunity to pester Kitty about a guy. "Were there any of yah?"

"Excuse me?"

"The paintings hangin' around, were there any of yah?" she elaborated.

"No, why would there be?" Kitty enquired confusedly.

Rogue groaned. "Are yah serious? Haven't yah noticed that whenever yah two are in th' same room, he's always starin' at yah an' drawin' on his sketchpad?"

"No way!" she shrieked excitedly. "How did I miss that?"

"Ah'm not exactly surprised. Ah mean, every time he ogles yah, he always jerks his head back down th' second yah look up. Of course, yah do th' exact same thing when yah stare at him an' he glances up, it goes back an' forth like a freakin' ping-pong match!"

"Oh my gosh, that's so cute! But I didn't see any paintings of me… At least, not the ones he showed me. He explained the story behind each of them, and the colours and the brush strokes and the painting techniques he used, it was great! I actually managed to have a conversation with him, and he actually managed to say more than two words! Of course, we were totally late for the Danger Room session and got extra runs with Mr. Logan, but it was worth every bruise!" she sighed dreamily, swooning and draping herself over the bed.

The Southerner couldn't fight the smile that was provoked by her friend's excitement – nor could she resist the twinge of jealousy it induced in her as well, but she did her best to quell it. "Well, Kit, if yah wanna spend more time with him, why don't yah suggest he paint a portrait o' yah or somethin'? It'll give both o' yah a reason ta make eyes at each other, an' it guarantees yah a few hours alone together."

Kitty instantly bolted up from her relaxed position. "Oh my God, that's a _great_ idea!" she squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. "There's no way he'd say no!"

"Now, wait a minute," Rogue interrupted her elation with a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes. "Yah're not thinkin' along th' lines o' posin' like Kate Winslet in 'Titanic', are yah?"

Kitty's blue eyes sparkled playfully in return. "Hey, now that's not a bad plan…"

"Kitty!"

"What? You're not the only one who can make suggestive comments, you know!" she giggled, falling back down onto the blankets.

"Well, that's just great," the young woman joshed. "As cute as Piotr is, Ah don't really wanna think about yah two enactin' th' beginnin' of a bad porno flick. Can we just get back ta th' month's events once again?"

"Oh, fine," she pouted, visibly disappointed at being torn away from her imaginings of the stoic Russian artist. "Let's see, what else… Well, it was a pretty slow month. Jean and Carol were hanging out as usual, I think they went shopping a few times. Oh, Scott started teaching Carol how to fly the Blackbird! Except he totally didn't trust her enough to put her in the cockpit of the actual jet, so they tried out the flight simulator first, and… Well, let's just say Scott wasn't a happy camper by the end of the session."

"Why not? She didn't crash, did she?"

"She did the first few times, but we all did when we were learning, so I don't think that really counts as anything," the younger girl reasoned. "But no, he was pissed because she was like, trying to do too much too fast! Apparently, she was already going on about getting her pilot's license and being able to fly on missions and stuff, and she pulled some really dangerous manoeuvres! You know how Scott gets when his orders are questioned – she just wasn't listening, thinking she was already an expert."

"That's weird," Rogue reflected. "Ah didn't even know she was that interested in flyin'."

"Neither did I, but I have a theory," Kitty stated.

"Yah have a lot o' those, don'tcha? Is that what yah spent all month doin'?"

The girl ignored her sarcasm with practised ease. "I bet she's only doing it so she can, like, feel important or something. She's not really allowed to do anything else around here, so she probably wants something she can be needed for. I mean, she's not a good fighter, and she doesn't do well with team-work, or following orders, or –"

"Kitty…" her friend intoned warningly, before the conversation could turn into a full-fledged session on airing grievances about Carol.

"Um, but speaking of Scott!" the girl quickly switched gears. "Oh my God, the funniest thing _ever_ happened – Bobby and Kurt pranked his car!"

"They did _what_?" Rogue cried, sitting up while her jaw dropped in shock. "Are they insane? Wait, of course they are, if they even _contemplated_ messing with his car! He loves that thing even mo' than Jean!"

"They clearly had a death wish, but it _was_ a great prank," Kitty informed her. "It must've taken a lot of work, but they somehow cut a sheet of clear plastic to fit exactly over the body – then they spray painted it until it looked like a back alley in New York City! So then Scott came into the garage and thought all that graffiti was actually on his car…"

"Hah, th' look on his face must've been priceless!" Rogue crowed, slapping her thigh in amusement.

"Oh, it totally was – he even started to cry! Then he dropped down to his knees and started hugging the car, which is when he realized that the plastic was covering it, and thus his hunt for Kurt and Bobby began."

By this point the Southerner was rolling around on her bed, completely consumed by laughter. "Dare Ah ask what he did when he found them?"

"Mr. Logan actually got to them before Scott did, so he assigned them a whole lot of chores – but they're all paranoid now, waiting for Scott to get his revenge."

Rogue chuckled – knowing Logan and his displeasure at Scott for hogging up the garage with his overabundance of tools, he probably enjoyed the prank as much as the boys did. And knowing Scott's lack of creativity when it came to vengeance, the culprits would be getting off easy. "Oh please, Scott couldn't pull off a good retribution prank even if he had a step-by-step instruction manual!"

"I know, he'll probably be asking you for help – you are the master, after all," Kitty predicted. "But seriously, the whole thing was hilarious, I wish you could've been there!"

She sighed, the smile fading from her face. "Ah wish Ah could've been there too…"

A sombre silence fell over the room as the pair of friends became lost in their contemplations – one thinking of how it didn't have to be this way, the other thinking of how it did, no matter how much she wished it didn't. However, their reflections were interrupted by a loud and quick rapping at the door.

"Yah think it's Kurt?" Rogue speculated, trying to deduce the identity of her visitor. Kurt was usually one to sleep in, but she didn't think anybody else would rise so early on a weekend just to bid her hello.

"No, he'd just port inside without warning, remember?"

"Right," she grumbled, recalling the time when he bampfed in while she had been changing (although it had almost been worth the intrusion to see the normally blue elf turn purple when he blushed). Then in a louder voice she turned towards the door and called, "Who is it?"

"It's Remy, _chère_!" his accented voice called back. "Can I come in?"

She groaned – just when she was having fun chatting with her friend, doing well with not thinking about her earlier angst, a major cause of it just had to appear! She wanted nothing to do with him at the moment, so she firmly shouted back, "No! Go away!"

"Rogue, what are you doing?" Kitty whispered furiously to her, looking at her like she had grown a second head. "Let him in!"

"C'mon, Rogue! I know y're still mad 'bout earlier, but can I at least talk t' y' about it?" he pleaded, attempting once again.

"Damn straight Ah'm still pissed, which is exactly why Ah _don't_ wanna talk ta yah!" she cried, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest, as if the boy had somehow acquired x-ray vision and could see her firm stance through the wooden door.

"Rogue, I bet he wants to apologize, that's so sweet! You should hear him out!" the other girl argued, and Rogue knew she was back to her annoying romantic inclinations.

"Why should Ah?" she demanded, not specific as to whom she was directing the question to.

"Please, Rogue? I know I'm not yo' favourite person right now –"

"Try _ever_!" she snapped back.

"Okay, I know I'm not yo' favourite person in general," he allowed, but continued on in a desperate tone, "But I came t' say dat I'm sorry fo' my stupidity earlier! Will y' please let me in so I can at least say it t' yo' face instead o' t' de door?"

"See, I was right!" Kitty exclaimed. "Why don't you let him in, what would it hurt?"

"Well, mah sanity, fo' one…" Rogue grumbled under her breath, but stalked over to the door. A part of her was curious at just what the swamp rat would say, so she yanked the door open and ordered, "Get in – yah've got five minutes ta curb mah desire ta hit yah."

"Yo' desire t' hit me? Oh _chère_, an' here y' get my hopes up dat y' had anot'er sort o' desire towards me," Remy pouted as he entered.

The girl just raised an eyebrow. "Cajun, yah're tryin' ta apologize to an extremely pissed off gal, an' instead yah annoy her even mo' by flirtin'? What's wrong with yah?"

"Not a t'ing – most _femmes_ find me perfect, I'll have y' know," he smirked winningly before sauntering over to sit on the corner of her desk.

"What, are they deaf, blind, an' stupid?" she scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Now yah've got four minutes an' thirty seconds, Ah suggest yah make th' most of it an' explain what th' hell this mornin' in' th' kitchen was all about."

"Right," Remy frowned, reverting to a more solemn countenance. Exhaling deeply, then standing up straight and looking directly in her green eyes, he began. "Look Rogue, I'm honestly an' truly sorry about de dumb t'ings I said earlier. I was wonderin' about yo' powers, dats all, an' I got a bit carried away when I asked y' about dem. I realize now dat I was kinda rubbin' it in yo' face, an' I really didn' mean t' do dat – I just wanted t' talk t' y' about dem, not make y' upset, so again, _je suis desolé_."

Rogue didn't respond right away. She simply shifted her weight to one leg and jutted a hip out to one side as she contemplated his words. She had never seen him so serious before – that and the look in his eyes told her he was perfectly sincere and earnest about his apology. She supposed she could accept it, if only to get him to leave her be for a while, but it wouldn't do to let him off so easily just yet.

"Well, why on earth were yah wonderin' about mah powers in th' first place?" she decided to interrogate him. "There's not much fo' yah ta know, an' it's pretty obvious that they're not mah favourite topic fo' discussion."

"Exactly!" he pointed out. "Y' don't talk about dem dat much, so can y' really blame me f'r bein' curious?"

"Oh, so it's mah fault then?" she scowled. "Great strategy, LeBeau, makin' this th' fault of th' person yah're tryin' ta seek forgiveness from!"

"I already asked!" he griped. "Y're de one who hasn't accepted it yet!"

"Well, Ah was about ta, but then yah started yellin' at me again!"

Remy's eyes narrowed in frustration. He opened his mouth and was poised to retort when he suddenly froze, as if realizing that whatever he was about to say wouldn't further his cause. Shutting up, he then ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm sorry… again. Didn't come here t' yell at y', I came t' apologize, which I already did – y' can either accept it o' not, dat's yo' choice, but I told y' de truth, dat I was really sorry, so I hope y' believe dat."

"Ah believe it," she told him slowly. "But Ah wanna know why."

"I already told y' why," he replied in confusion. "I was just curious, dat's all…"

"No, Ah mean why are yah apologizin'?" she clarified, pinning him with a fierce and inquisitive gaze.

"Ah," the boy sounded. After a few seconds of silence, he stuck his hands in his pockets like a sullen little boy caught stealing cookies from the jar. "I don't like y' bein' mad at me."

Rogue raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "What? Have yah forgotten everythin' that's happened between us since we met? Ah've been mad at yah fo' most of that time, Ah woulda thought yah'd be used ta it by now."

"Nah, dat's different, _chère_," he explained with the wave of a hand. "Most o' dat was all in good fun, me annoyin' y' 'cause yo' even mo' _belle_ when y're pissed – but dis time I felt bad, since y' were actually hurt."

Part of the goth's brain was thankful that Kitty didn't understand French, or else his remark on her beauty would have had her babbling further about her ridiculous theory. Another portion was trying to stop the burgeoning blush his remark caused. Yet another part had its cogs begin to turn with an imperative query, and its importance eclipsed everything else, so there was nothing else to do but voice it. "What, so are yah only apologizin' ta alleviate yo' own guilt, or 'cause yah actually feel bad about hurtin' me?"

He blinked, but responded instantly and without doubt. "De latter, o' course. I don't like de fact dat y' feel bad, 'specially on account o' my big mouth, so I want t' make it better." Then he shrugged. "B'sides, if I only wanted t' make m'self feel better, I would've found anot'er way – if y' haven't noticed, y're a very difficult _fille_, an' I wouldn't have gone t'rough all dis trouble."

"Hah hah," she said dryly. "Again with gettin' in jabs at th' gal yah want ta accept yo' apology…"

"'M diggin' my own grave here, aren't I?" he noted with a cheerful grin.

"Yup."

"Do y' need some incentive t' grant dis poor Cajun forgiveness den?" he enquired with a slyly raised eyebrow that told her just what kind of indecent incentives he was referring to.

"Ah swear, if yah say somethin' innuendo-laden right about now, Ah'll throw yah out th' window an' yo' decayin' corpse can fertilize Storm's rose garden. "

"Dat's a disturbin' mental image… So I won't even t'ink of it, _chère_," Remy assured her, raising his hands in the air in a surrendering gesture. "But mebbe buyin' y' an apology coffee would help?"

Now Rogue was the one caught off guard. "What, is a coffee supposed ta make everythin' better? Yah think Ah can just be bought like that? Think again!"

His face fell. "What? No, dat's not what I meant, I only –"

"Ah mean, how shallow do yah think Ah am, that Ah'll give up mah principles so easily?" she ranted on ardently as she began pacing across the floor.

"It's not a bribe, I just wanted t' do somet'in' nice!"

"An' jeez, a coffee?" she continued to yell. "Is that th' best yah can do?"

"But y' like coffee!" Remy exclaimed, entirely flummoxed by this point, and even more so when Rogue suddenly burst into laughter. "Uh… _Chère_? What's so funny?"

"Yah're right, Ah do like coffee," she remarked lightly, after having clamed down. "D'ya wanna go now? Ah haven't had mah caffeine fix yet."

"Are… y' serious?"

"Yup."

"Den… what was all dat rantin' an' ravin'?"

"Oh, Ah just wanted ta watch yah squirm," she enlightened him, enjoying the look on his face all too much. It was strangely satisfying to throw the normally smooth and suave Cajun off.

"Ah, I see…" he furrowed his brow. "Well, was it to yo' likin'?"

"Oh yeah," she nodded, feeling much better. "Ah think that evens things between us – fo' now, at least."

"Does dat mean I'm forgiven?" he asked hopefully.

Rogue put a finger to her chin in mock-deliberation. "Hmm… Well, Ah suppose that depends on how good th' coffee is."

"Oh, y're cruel, _chère_, makin' me wait on pins an' needles like dis," the thief whined dramatically, clutching at his heart.

"Yeah, well, considerin' how much yah pissed me off, Ah'd say yah're gettin' off easy," she informed him fiercely. "Yah should be grateful."

"Y' don't say? Den mebbe I'll even t'row in a muffin wit' de coffee…"

"Make it a croissant an' yah've got a deal."

"Done. Wanna head out den?" he questioned, jerking his thumb towards the door.

"Sure, let's go," she replied, following, before a sound caught their attention.

"Ah-hem!" Kitty cleared her throat, causing both Southerners to jump in surprise and simultaneously turn towards her.

"Woah! _Petite_, I didn' see y' dere," Remy yelped, at the same time as Rogue noted, "Oh, Kit, yah still here?"

Rogue had actually forgotten that Kitty was still present – it was amazing that she had managed to remain so quiet the entire time, especially with all that drama. However, the younger girl still wasn't saying anything, just sitting there with her eyes wide and her mouth gaping. "Uh, Kit? Kitty, yah okay?"

Turning to Remy, she told him, "Hey Cajun, go wait fo' meh in th' foyer, okay? Ah'll be down in a sec, Ah've just gotta snap Kitty out o' whatever fantasy land she's gone off ta."

To her surprise, he nodded and headed off with no objection, but not without calling back over his shoulder, "Okay, but y' better not be t'inkin' of a way t' ditch dis _homme_!"

"Ditch yah? Nahh, not when Ah plan on makin' yah grovel some more befo' Ah bury th' hatchet!" she taunted, hearing him let loose a bark of laughter before he disappeared down the hallway.

After he was gone, Rogue walked over to the bed. Leaning down, she snapped her fingers right in front of Kitty's face.

She didn't even flinch. "Wow…" was all she whispered, as she began shaking her head in astonishment.

"Wow what? Kit, what's wrong with yah?"

"Wow… You two are _so_ completely dense!" she then cried, reverting back to her usual perky form and jumping up off the bed.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you and Remy are totally oblivious! Did either of you even notice the sparks flying between you two while you argued? I mean, how could you miss it?"

"Oh great, here we go again…" Rogue muttered, rolling her eyes. "Didn't we already talk about this?"

"Well, to be specific, you denied while I prattled, but that's not the point right now!"

"An' what is?" she sighed.

"Well, the way he acted around you! His apology was so adorable, and did you see the look in his eyes? And oh my God, you're going out for coffee with him!"

"Pryde, Ah swear, if yah so much as utter the word 'date', Ah won't be held responsible fo' what Ah might do…"

"But –"

"It's _not_ a date," she stated resolutely, interrupting the girl's protests while firmly shaking her head. "It's just me an' him goin' fo' coffee together, it doesn't mean anythin'. Ah mean, Ah've gone out fo' coffee with boys befo', like with Scott, an' that certainly wasn't a date! Coffee is th' non-relationship drink of choice."

"But it's also the _pre_-relationship drink of choice!" the younger girl insisted.

"Oh dear Gawd, Ah don't wanna get inta this debate right now, Ah need caffeine!" Rogue groaned. "Ah haven't had any fo' a month, which yah should thank yo' lucky stars fo', since Ah think it's hinderin' mah threats!"

"No, don't worry, they're still pretty effective," Kitty gulped.

"Good – so Ah'm gonna go now, an' yah're gonna stop talkin' – heck, even _thinkin'_ – about anythin' that includes the words 'Rogue', 'Remy', or 'date', are we clear?"

"We're clear!" she squeaked. "But Rogue… I never even mentioned the word 'date', you did! I bet you're thinking it on a subconscious level!"

"Argh!" screamed the other mutant, throwing her hands up into the air, before flinging the door open and rushing out.

Kitty heard Rogue stomping down the hallway, but waited until she was out of hearing range before emitting a loud squeal. "Oh, I don't care what Rogue says, it's _totally_ a date!"

* * *

Wasn't that fun, boys and girls?

**Next chapter** – so, how will the coffee non-date go? Huzzah, a chappy chock full o' Rogue and Remy!

Gosh, you know what I like? Reviews. They sure are fun, aren't they? That's right, they're more fun than a barrel of monkeys! And hey, look down there, you can review by pressing that little button! What a coincidence…

Toodles,

– ish –


	11. Coffee

**Disclaimer:** Haven't you figured it out yet? Not mine!

**A/N:** I know, I know… It's been over a month since my last update, and I feel _so_ ashamed to have kept you waiting so long. Heck, I don't even have a very good excuse, so why don't we just get on with the show? Hopefully this lovely long chapter chock full o' Rogue/Remy interaction will make up for it!

AnalisDestiny, Picaresca, cool-chick-rae, chicita, Rogue14, darkstorm5000, demiducky25, CloeyMarie, EE's Skysong, Satin Nightingale, enchantedlight, Rikku Ree, Personage, TheRealMai, Freak87, & Cat2fat900: Oh, my lovely reviewers, you have no idea how happy you make me! Thanks, all!

Shira's Song: I don't blame you for being scared off by the summary, that happens to me too. Sometimes I purposely avoid fics I know will be angsty and uber depressing… Or at least, I try – my curiosity ends up getting the better of me, and then I'm melancholy for about a week afterwards. But the point is that I'm glad you have faith in me! Let's just hope it's not misplaced, eh? ;-)

Bluefirez: Thanks for that fun fact! I can't believe it, so many of their relationship troubles stemming from some idiot misplacing a few notes… Argh! But I suppose the angst makes everything a bit more interesting… At least, that's what I'll keep telling myself.

Eileen Blazer: You know, I have the urge to tweak your name like you do mine in your review responses, but you probably made sure yours is more resistant to tweaking on purpose, didn't you? Unless I change it to 'Eileen casual single-breasted jacket'... Yes, that's got a nice ring to it! ;-)

SweetRevenge151: You know, I'd comment on your comments about Glastonbury, or your latest one-shot, but it all seems so irrelevant now, since it was so long ago… Which is my bad. I'll try to keep up with the times!

Sweety8587: Wait, Remy's _fictional_? No, don't tell me that, let me live in my happy land of denial! ;-)

simba317: You wrote me another novel! It's so difficult to pick which things in your review to comment on, or else this response would be longer than the chapter! Ahh, you kept mentioning Canada Day, and that seems so long ago now, which just reminds me of how long it took me to get working on this… bah. Hey, I actually picture blonde Carol too – I think the image of Rogue's body doing Carol things is much too incompatible. Yeah, we should totally do a Harry Potter and just call her The Evil Wench or something. Speaking of, what did you think of the latest book? I still haven't decided on an opinion yet… But I'm digging the whole Tonks/Lupin thing.

missy42: Your exclamations of squished-together words and capital letters always make me smile… I imagine them being said in a really hyper and high-pitch squealing voice, almost like a chipmunk or something (if they could talk, that is – well, Alvin and the Chipmunks could, maybe that's where it stems from?). Yeah, I'm weird, I know.

IvyZoe: You're either psychic, extraordinarily perceptive, or sneaking a look at some of my notes to see what's coming up…

Calliann: Yup, you caught the 'Buffy' line… I couldn't help myself, I've been watching my DVDs and all these great lines pop out at me. My absolute favourite is when Giles tells Wesley that he has "the emotional maturity of a blueberry scone", but sadly I don't think I can find a way to squeeze that in here.

SnarkyKat: I'm guessing the urge to work that you had when you wrote the review has dwindled down into nothingness by now, right? Sigh!

And if I may direct your attention this way…

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 11 – Coffee**

**_June 2005_**

The sunny, warm spring day was far from quiet. Birds chirped merrily, trees whispered in the gently blowing breeze, children screamed with excitement as they ran around the playground… Yet the Southern duo heard none of this as they walked together through the park, heading towards the café. Neither of them spoke, only able to focus on the deafening silence that reigned between them.

Words usually flowed so easily between them, most often those of the bantering variety. Rogue had no desire to prompt another argument however, especially after their last one had finally dwindled down. Never having been the most social of creatures, she hardly wished to start up any insipid and awkward small talk either.

Thankfully, Remy took the initiative and began, "So, uh… What happened wit' Kitty's catatonia back dere?"

The girl cursed inwardly at him for bringing up a subject she didn't want to discuss. What would she tell him, that her friend had an extremely implausible theory regarding him having feelings for her? She would rather let Carol dye her hair blonde and turn her into a cheerleader, so she simply shrugged and said, "Oh, nothin' much."

He waited for her to elaborate, but when she stopped there, he took it upon himself to continue. "Did y' manage t' snap her out o' it?"

"Yup. She's back ta her bubbly self."

"Oh, okay den… Dat's good."

A hush fell over them once more. Rogue focused on the sound of Remy's trench coat swishing behind him as he walked, while Remy concentrated on the soft thud of Rogue's boots hitting the ground, both of them determinedly attempting to ignore the quiet.

Finally, the Cajun made an effort to start up a talk once more. "Well, um… Nice weather we're havin', henh?"

The goth turned her head in his direction, looking at him in disbelief. "Have yah actually resorted ta talkin' about th' weather?"

"I didn' know what else t' say," Remy scowled. "B'sides, it's not like y' were encouragin' de conversation!"

"An' here Ah thought that yah didn't have problems talkin' ta th' ladies," she drawled amusedly, with a teasing smile on her face.

"Who said y' were a lady?" he retorted with a grin, but tensed up in preparation to dodge in case the girl decided to hit him for his comment.

She didn't – to his surprise, she only let out a brisk peal of laughter and replied, "True…"

"Dat must be why y' haven't fallen fo' my charms," the boy realized with a wry grin. "All de ot'er _femmes_ do."

"Well, Ah'm not like th' other gals, am Ah?" Rogue questioned coolly with a smirk on her face. "An' yo' so-called 'charms'? Please, if yah were so charmin' then yah should be havin' an easier time makin' conversation right now."

"Den let's find somet'in' t' talk about!"

"Gee, good idea," she said with a sarcastic twang. "Any ideas?"

He gave her a sidelong glance and casually mentioned, "How 'bout y'?"

"Me?" she repeated suspiciously. No, that wasn't a preferred topic of hers. "What, are yah just tryin' ta get some info? That might work with the girls yah're used ta, th' ones who're so full o' themselves that they'll babble on fo' hours, but that's not me."

"Y' caught me, _chère_…" he sighed in resignation. "Can't blame _un__ homme_ fo' tryin'."

"It was a pretty weak attempt, though," Rogue informed him matter-of-factly.

"Yeah? Well, what would've worked better?"

She chuckled as he strove for information once more. He was smooth, she'd give him that, but she was much too cautious and wary to let a few charming words wheedle her innermost thoughts and feelings out of her shell. "Nothin'. Ah don't like talkin' about mahself too much."

He shook his head in agreement. "Neit'er do I."

"Then Ah guess we ain't gonna have a lot ta talk about, huh?" The girl wasn't sure whether that would be a good thing or a bad thing. It could mean an end to his annoyingly persistent inquisitions, or it could mean a return to his perverted innuendo.

"How 'bout I make y' a deal?" Remy blurted out suddenly. "Whatever I ask y', y' can ask me right back."

"Seriously?" She was surprised to find him offering up facts about himself. Up until now he had been carefully guarded, a locked safe fortified even further with additional defences. He was good at not making that obvious, however – she had noticed that whenever he talked he had a way of appearing to be an open book, but in reality, if one truly listened then they would realize they had gotten no further than a glance at the cover.

Yet now it appeared he was willing to open up, at least a little. "_Oui_," he confirmed it, nodding slowly. He didn't rescind his suggestion, even though he seemed a bit apprehensive about the arrangement.

Then again, so was Rogue. Despite her better judgement, she was interested in knowing more about him – the part she wasn't interested in was divulging anything about herself. Still, if they were both going to answer, then they would be on even footing… "All right," she finally conceded, giving one brisk nod. Still, she would feel better about the risk if she had a safety net to work with, so she quickly added, "But Ah don't promise ta answer everythin'!"

"Fair 'nough, neither do I," Remy acknowledged, and suddenly they had an agreement. "So, do y' want t' start?"

"Um, sure," she hesitantly accepted his polite offer, but wasn't sure where to begin. "Well… What's yo' favourite colour?"

"Dat's yo' question?" he asked, dumbfounded at how anticlimactic it was.

"What?" she replied defensively. "Ah don't feel like gettin' inta anythin' too intense… An' besides, th' little things are important too. So just answer!"

"Okay den," her fellow mutant laughed, raising his hands in resignation. He then thought for a moment, looked straight at her, and answered, "Green."

"Green?"

"Green. T' be mo' specific, de green o' yo' eyes." He shot her a swoon-worthy smile, but it had no effect on her.

"Oh please, flattery won't work on me, swamp rat," she scoffed. Was it too much to expect a serious answer from him? If he kept with his obsequiousness then this little exercise would be pointless.

"Hey, it's not flattery, it's a compliment," he protested earnestly. "Yo' eyes really are a _belle_ colour, y' know. Like emeralds."

Rogue looked at him shrewdly, searching for any indications that he was joking or being his cavalier self, but there were none. Not accustomed to receiving such sincere sentiments, she was unsure of how to react, so she simply turned up the corner of her mouth into a crooked smile. "Um, okay then… Thanks, Ah guess."

He chuckled. "It's funny dat y' can give as good as y' get wit' insults, but y' don' know what t' do wit' a compliment."

"Oh, shut up," she huffed. "Ah'm just not used ta them, that's all…"

"I can't see why," he replied solemnly. "I'd imagine y' get dem all de time."

"Then yah'd imagine wrong."

"Really?" he blinked, looking amazed. He opened his mouth about to say something more, but then apparently changed his mind, biting his tongue. She looked at him in confusion, but he only shook his head a bit and told the girl it was her turn to answer the question.

"Oh yeah. Well, that's easy, mah favourite colour is black."

"Nuh-uh, dat's not a colour, _chère_, it's a neutral!" he scolded, wagging his finger at her. "I would've t'ought y'd know dat, what wit' y' bein' artistically inclined an' all."

"Oh, come on," she griped, swatting his hand away. "Semantics, that's all!"

"Hey, I'm just goin' f'r accuracy. I want y' t' answer trut'fully, just like y'd want me to."

"Ah did answer truthfully, black is mah favourite!" Rogue insisted.

"Why, 'cause it's de colour o' my eyes?" he cooed teasingly, lifting his sunglasses off and batting his lashes jokingly at her. "Oh _chère_, I always knew y' liked dem!"

"Dear Lord," she sighed in exasperation. Scanning the scenery around them, the first thing her eyes landed on was the plastic purple slide on the playground – it was a hideous shade, reminiscent of Barney the dinosaur, but it would do. "Okay, purple then! Yah happy?" she grumbled, just so she could put an end to the taunting.

"Well, not really, since my eyes ain't purple…"

"Oh, will yah just ask th' next question already?"

"Fine." He looked up at the sky as he thought, replacing his glasses to guard against the bright, blinding sun. "Favourite food?"

"Oh, that's an easy one – catfish," she responded instantly, a craving shooting through her at the thought of the southern delicacy.

"What, not de eggs Remy made y' dis mornin'?" he pouted.

"Sorry swamp rat, they were good but not _that_ good. Now, what about yah?"

"Oh, I'm _very_ good, _chère_, I guarantee it," he winked playfully. "Care fo' a taste?"

Rogue rolled her eyes, vaguely thinking that she had probably repeated that action more times since she had made Remy's acquaintance than during the rest of her life up to that point. "Is it even _possible_ fo' yah ta quit with th' suggestive comments?"

"I could, but den where's de fun in dat?"

"There's no way yah could pull it off," she goaded, a plan beginning to form in her mind. "Ah'd be amazed if it happened, even fo' just one conversation."

"I'll prove it den!" Remy declared indignantly. "Heck, I'll do it right now!"

"Great!" the girl exclaimed with glee, correctly predicting that he wouldn't be able to resist the challenge. If their entire excursion was to be peppered with his innuendos she had a feeling she would have been forced to push him into oncoming traffic, but now she would receive some peace. "Now then, it's yo' turn ta answer."

He stared at her for a moment, realizing what he had just agreed too, but then gave up any argument with a weary sigh. Apparently deciding it was a battle that could not be won (which gave Rogue a rather pleasant sense of satisfaction), he instead opted to simply answer the question. "Well, it's an easy one f'r me too – gumbo."

"Ah shoulda guessed that," she chuckled in amusement. "Logan was pretty accurate with his nickname then?"

"I t'ink Logan should learn people's _real_ names," the thief grumbled in an annoyed tone.

"Why so bitter?" Rogue asked curiously, wondering about his reaction to the mention of the Canuck. Although perhaps she shouldn't have been so surprised – they did have clashing personalities, after all. The Cajun was exactly the kind of person that would stand up to Wolverine, questioning his authority and generally driving him crazy, just for the hell of it.

Remy furrowed his brow, then shrugged. "Dunno… I guess we don't get along too well. He's been givin' me a hard time 'cause I was givin' y' a hard time."

"Ahh," the girl drawled in realization. That certainly explained the tension between them – anybody that didn't treat her right was always in danger of three sharp claws being introduced to various body parts. Even though she hardly needed the protection, she had to admit that she did appreciate him caring. "That definitely sounds like Logan… He's just really overprotective, even though Ah'm perfectly capable of takin' care o' mahself. Ah wonder if he'll ease up if Ah tell him we're friends…"

"So we're friends now?" the boy perked up, and Rogue winced at her faulty choice of words.

Silently cursing her blunder, she quickly followed it up with, "We're friend_ly_. That's what Ah meant, we're actin' friendlier with each other."

"Sure, _chère_, whatever y' say," Remy placated her, the amusement ringing in his smooth voice making it clear that he didn't believe her.

He stopped walking when they reached the local Starbucks, and Rogue was thankful that a change of subject could be made before he had the chance to heckle her about the verbal slip-up. Quickly eyeing the cold, reflective glass windows and the shiny corporate culture, the goth cried, "Woah – hold on a sec, this is th' café we're goin' ta?"

The other mutant's brief elation at the accidental declaration of friendship disappeared as a frown graced his handsome features. "Uh… _Oui_?"

"Cajun, do Ah look like a Starbucks kinda gal ta yah?"

"…_Non_, I guess not," he replied sheepishly. "Where do y' get yo' coffee from den?"

"C'mon, Ah'll show yah one o' Bayville's best kept secrets," she told him, walking away down the sidewalk and gesturing for him to tag along.

"I'd follow y' t' de ends o' de earth, _chère_," he exclaimed, trotting after her, and grinning when she turned to glare at him. "What? Dat's not innuendo, it's just a statement! Anyway, it's yo' question now."

"Right… Okay, um… What's yo' favourite holiday?"

"I'm shocked y' even have t' ask!" he gasped, looking at her scandalized. "Why, dere ain't no better time fo' a Cajun boy den Mardi Gras, o' course!"

"O' course, stupid question…" Rogue muttered. "Ah bet it's 'cause o' all th' women bearin' their breasts, right?"

"Dat's just an added bonus," he grinned. "Nah, it's de whole atmosphere – de craziness, de dancin', de drinkin', de fun… Y' can have a hundred ot'er celebrations t'roughout de year, but Mardi Gras is like dem all wrapped up int' one. It's a sight t' see, _chère_ – y' ever been?"

She couldn't help but smile at the warmth and fondness she heard in his voice – it was clear he was describing something very near and dear to his heart. "Nah, never, but Ah've wanted ta. Maybe one year Ah'll take a trip down there… Durin' one o' mah months, that is."

He frowned at her last few words, but quickly masked it. "Well, will y' give dis _homme_ de honour o' accompanyin' y'? I can show y' de real Big Easy, an' how t' _laissez les bon temps rouler_ (let de good times roll)," he offered.

"Ah'll think about it…" she mused. "A native as a tour guide might come in handy – unless yah're just offerin' so yah can see me flash fo' beads!"

"It'd be a cross I'd somehow have t' bear while doin' my chivalrous duty o' escortin' a _belle_ _fille_ t'rough an unfamiliar town," he told her seriously, with a melodramatic look of pain on his face, before he burst into laughter.

Rogue found herself joining in. "Yeah, sure… Why do Ah doubt yah have th' noblest of intentions, swamp rat?"

"I can't answer dat, _chère_, since it's yo' turn t' answer de question," he responded cheekily.

"Why th' hell did Ah agree ta this stupid game?" Rogue growled, throwing her head back and looking questioningly up into the sky, as if the reply was emblazoned in the clouds.

"'Cause y' couldn't resist gettin' t' know mo' about dis dashing Cajun?" he asked hopefully. "Now, c'mon, what's yo' favourite holiday?"

She pursed her lips in thought as she led them down an alleyway tucked in between two brick buildings. "Actually, Ah don't really have one… Heck, Ah don't even know why Ah asked th' question, it was just th' first thing that came ta mind."

"Well, de rules state dat y' have t' answer," Remy firmly declared over the crunching of the broken glass he tread on.

"Ah did! Not havin' a favourite is a valid answer!" she insisted firmly, her voice slightly echoing behind them as they exited the alley, stepping back into the sunlight and onto another street.

"But not a very good or interestin' one," he pointed out. "What, y' don't like Christmas? Or Halloween? I figured y'd at least like Halloween…"

"Why, because Ah'm a creepy goth an' it's some sorta stereotypical rule that we all like it?" she scowled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"_Non_, actually I was t'inkin' dat y'd enjoy scarin' de livin' daylights outta yo' team mates…"

"Oh." She looked away from him, feeling rather foolish at her assumption. "Yeah, well, Ah actually do enjoy that… But not enough ta make it mah favourite."

"C'mon, _chère_, y' have t' have an answer, I don't care what y' say! Y' must at least like one a _tiny_ bit mo' den de ot'ers, which would make it yo' favourite!" he persisted, and with the use of logic it was clear that he was determined to get a response.

"Fine! Arbour Day!" the girl finally blurted out, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation. "Happy now?"

"Not really," he admitted. "Y' just makin' dat up, aren't y'?"

"Yes," she confessed with a grimace. "But now that Ah think about it, it's really not that bad – no big celebrations, no materialism, no holiday spirit an' all that crap… So yeah, Ah think that makes it mah favourite."

Her companion opened his mouth and she just knew he was about to argue with her once more, but thankfully she noticed where they were and was able to cut him off. "Oh look, we're here!"

Rogue's strides came to a halt in front of a tiny café, nestled between a second-hand bookstore and a florist. It looked rather dim and dingy – the paint on the wooden letters spelling out 'Coffee' above the entryway was peeling and the windows were streaked, but she liked it. It had character, unlike those other cookie-cutter places. However, she could see that Remy wasn't exactly impressed just yet, so she led the way inside, knowing he'd change his mind.

She was a bit taken aback when he chivalrously held the door open for her, but inclined her head in thanks anyway. A jingling bell signalled their entrance, and Rogue looked around at the mural-covered walls and mishmash of unmatched furniture fondly. She liked to come here often – it was a pleasant escape from the hectic life of the Institute, and it was nice to be back after a month away.

As she headed over towards the counter at the side, she heard Remy whistle appreciatively behind her. "Hey, dis place ain't half bad, _chère_…"

She threw on a fake pout. "What, yah didn't trust mah taste?"

"Well, since y' don' find dis Cajun irresistible dere must be somet'in' wrong wit' yo' taste," he joked. "But I t'ink dis place makes up fo' it – reminds me of some o' de jazz clubs back in N'Awlins, in a way…"

"Aww, Ah'm glad th' swamp rat feels right at home," she teased light-heartedly. She surprised herself by not tossing any harsh barbs in retribution for the beginning of his comment – perhaps his turn to seriousness and homesickness had stopped her? The bout of sensitivity worried her. "So, how 'bout we order already?" she quickly asked, attempting to revert back to her trademarked aloofness.

"Yo' wish is my command," he told her with a bow, before bobbing his head in acknowledgement to the worker behind the cash register. "_Bonjour_, I'll have a large black coffee, please. An' fo' de _femme_, a large coffee wit' milk an' two spoons o' sugar, right?" he asked, turning to her to make sure.

"Uh, right," she confirmed, startled. "How'd yah know?"

"Noticed dat's what y' drink in de mornin's, dat's all," he replied casually. "Hey, y' still want dat croissant?"

"Sure." She couldn't decide if his knowledge of her drinking habits was creepy or sweet…

"An' two croissants, please," the young man added to the employee, before pulling out a crisp ten dollar bill from somewhere in his coat and placing it down on the marble counter top.

Each of them grabbed their mug and a plate and headed towards a table, one lit from above by a stained-glass lamp hanging down from the ceiling. They both slid onto the worn leather chairs facing each other, and a moment of silence overtook them.

Remy broke it a second later with a soft chuckle. "Y' know, I've gotta say dat's it's nice t' be able t' order a coffee in plain English!"

"That's fo' sure," she whole-heartedly agreed, wrapping her gloved hands around her warm ceramic mug. "Even though yah did intersperse it with some French…"

"Hey, it adds a touch o' class, _non_?" he preened. "Don' it make me sound exotic?"

Rogue shook her head once more, only this time it was more in playfulness than in vexation. Bringing her drink to her lips and tentatively taking a sip of the steaming liquid, a more thought-provoking expression crossed her face and she asked, "Hey, do yah think it's a bad sign that we argued so much that we only answered, what, about three questions on th' entire walk here?"

"I don't know if I'd call it arguin'," he said slowly, ripping off the end of his croissant. "Mo' like banter, pro'ly – which is kinda fun, henh? B'sides, de game doesn't have t' end just yet."

"Oh great, mo' questions?" the girl sighed – but in truth, she didn't mind that much.

"_Oui_, but I t'ink we should go beyond t'ings like our favourite colours," he told her seriously as he leaned towards her, taking off his sunglasses now that they were in a less public area.

"Ahh, so we're gonna get inta th' more in-depth stuff, are we?"

"Well, I t'ink we both know dat we didn't start dis little game t' learn about de pointless stuff, _chère_."

"True…" she exhaled slowly. All they had discussed so far were the tiny, insignificant things – of course, they were important in their own way, adding details to the overall picture of a person, but they only helped when there was already some sort of foundation to build upon.

"I mean, I'd like t' know mo' about y'. The real y', not just de little t'ings I could learn by watchin' y'," Remy continued candidly, his piercing eyes locking on to hers.

She broke their eye contact, his gaze becoming a little too intense, and she stared down at the table. "Ah don't really like talkin' about mah past an' all," she murmured. "Ah mean, Ah'm not exactly th' most open person."

"Neit'er am I," he divulged. However, a second later he perked up with an idea. "Hey, I t'ink I know what could help – what's yo' most embarassin' moment ever?"

"What? There's no way Ah'm tellin' yah somethin' like that! An' what good would it do anyway?" she shrieked.

"Hear me out!" he exclaimed quickly, throwing his hands up. "Mebbe if we reveal a secret we don't want anybody else t' know, it's like we build a trust b'tween each ot'er, or somet'in'…"

She raised an eyebrow slyly. "An' if that fails, we've got blackmail material, right?"

"Knew dat wouldn't get past y'," he beamed. "But o' course, it should never come t' dat, since I don't 'xpect we'll be tellin' no one, henh?"

"Ah'm not one ta blab secrets," she said with an unsure frown. "But still, Ah don't know…"

"Look, I'll even go first," the other mutant offered, and then took a deep, bracing breath. "Dis ain't really de most pleasant o' memories, but… Well, I was at Mardi Gras a few years back an' met a nice _fille_. One t'ing led t' anot'er an' we went back t' her place… Which is where I found out dat _she_ was actually a _he_."

"What?" Rogue burst out loudly, nearly spitting out the coffee she had in her mouth in the process. "No way!"

"Way," Remy muttered self-consciously. He had his eyes locked firmly on the table in front of him, unable to look his companion in the face as his own was turning red in reminiscence. "He was dressed in drag…"

"Hmm, so maybe mah teasin' about yo' sexuality wasn't that far off?" she taunted, unable to resist the opportunity.

"_Quoi_? _Non_! It wasn't on purpose – I was drunk! _Very_ drunk, an' he had a _lot_ o' makeup on…"

"So how far did yah guys get?" she managed to sputter out between her deep gasps of laughter.

The Cajun groaned. "Well, I was already in my birt'day suit when 'she' started takin' off her dress, which is when I realized dat she had some parts dat a _femme_'s definitely _not_ supposed t' have… So I hightailed it outta dere, runnin' down de fire escape completely in de buff!"

By this point Rogue's eyes were watering, tears threatening to roll down her cheeks. "Oh mah Gawd, that's hilarious!"

"Yeah, well, it wasn't at de time," he grumbled, taking a sip of his drink as if to distract himself. "Believe me, I've tried t' fo'get it, never told dat t' anyone…"

"Yo' secret's safe with me, swamp rat," she chortled, ducking her head while drinking her own coffee, trying not to let him see how much his story amused her.

"It better be, river rat," he shot back. "'Cause it's yo' turn now."

"Oh boy…" For a moment Rogue debated about making something up – did she really trust him, after all? Perhaps not yet, but she could almost see herself heading in that direction… And that required work on both their parts, meeting each other halfway. She supposed that meant it was only fair she recounted something real, so she decided to bite the bullet and began.

"Well, this was about a year ago. Kitty was hoggin' our bathroom an' Ah wanted ta take a shower, so Ah decided it wouldn't hurt ta use th' boy's bathroom. Ah musta not locked th' door behind me, 'cause th' second Ah stepped out o' th' shower, befo' Ah could even put mah towel on, Scott walks in an' sees me! So Ah scream in surprise, an' so does he, which brings other people runnin'. Thankfully Ah managed ta get a towel around me befo' anybody else showed up, but as luck would have it, Jean happens ta be th' first one there, an' she thought Ah was seducin' her boyfriend… Scott didn't tell anybody what he saw, but it was awful, Ah couldn't look him in th' face fo' weeks!"

She blushed and looked over at Remy, stunned to not find him laughing as she had expected. Instead, he had a dazed expression on and breathed, "Dat lucky bastard…"

"Hey!"

"Uh, I mean… See, dat wasn't so bad, was it?" he tried to save himself. "Don't y' t'ink we've bonded t'rough our embarrassment?"

"We better have," she muttered. "Ah worked hard ta repress that memory, an' Ah'd hate ta think Ah dredged it up fo' nothin'!"

"Hey, I t'ink dis was a good idea," he defended. "If we told each ot'er t'ings we don't want nobody else t' hear, not'in' else we tell each ot'er will seem as bad, henh?"

"Ah guess…."

"_Bien_. An' now I believe it's yo' question, _chère_."

The goth decided to forgo any further scolding and evasions, instead being much more interested in the possibilities of her query. "Hmm, so this means Ah can dig a little deeper under that cocky façade o' yo's?" It was time to learn about the real Remy LeBeau.

"Go right on ahead," he allowed with a smirk. "Dat was de deal, after all."

"Okay then… Well, why don't yah start by tellin' me about yo' family?"

"Huh, dis may take a while, de _famille_ (family) is pretty big," he exhaled slowly, leaning back in his seat and getting comfortable. "Guess I should start wit' Jean-Luc – he's de one dat brought me int' it all, after he caught me pickin' his pocket…"

- X -

**_A few hours later…_**

"…An' den Lapin says, 'But I t'ought dat was de jambalaya'!" Remy delivered the punch line with a flourish, concluding his tale.

Across the table, Rogue's entire body was shaking with laughter. If the thief hadn't already been smiling from the memory he had just recounted, then surely a grin would have been prompted by the sound of the girl's amusement. She had such a nice laugh – instead of some trite, tittering giggle, it came deep from the belly, full of warmth. He found he liked it immensely…

"Oh man, that's priceless!" she wheezed, wiping at her watering eyes with her gloved hands, trying carefully not to smear her black eyeliner. "That definitely beats Kitty's misadventures in th' kitchen."

"Told y' dat de T'ieves were crazier den de X-Men!" he gloated, quite proud of the fact.

"Yeah, yeah, yah made yo' point," she grumbled good-naturedly, and was about to speak further when an employee walked over to their table and interrupted.

"Sorry guys, you'll have to get a move on now – we close early on Sundays, remember?" she informed them while reaching over to clean up the table littered with half a dozen empty mugs.

"Yeah, but it's only…" Rogue's green eyes widened as they stared at a clock hanging on the wall. "Woah, it's five already?"

"Really?" Remy asked in amazement, checking his own watch just to be sure. "Huh." They had been having such an entertaining and lively discussion that the hours had simply flown by, neither having the presence of mind to check the time amidst their debates of whose powers had manifested in a worse way, or whose foster parent was worse, or the multitude of other topics that had come up during their non-stop conversation.

He rose from his seat, offering a polite hand to Rogue once he stood. Once she was back on her feet, the duo headed out of the café, stepping out onto the street and back into the humid summer air.

"So, now what?" she questioned, but then clutched her stomach as a loud growl permeated the silence. "No, wait, never mind, Ah know th' answer ta that – food!"

"Definitely," Remy chuckled, pulling out his packet of cigarettes from a pocket in his trench coat.

He fiddled with the carton for a moment before pulling out a stick, and realizing with a start that he didn't want their fun to end just yet – if they returned to the mansion and attempted to continue on with their newfound camaraderie, it would only prompt eavesdropping and whispers, stifling the comfort that he had managed to create between himself and Rogue. No, he had a better idea.

"Drinkin' coffee all day ain't exactly fillin'. Why don' we walk back t' de mansion, pick up my bike, an' we'll head out fo' dinner? I know a place wit' great Southern cookin' – I stopped in when I first came t' Bayville, an' I seem t' recall dem havin' catfish on de menu," he proposed casually, yet felt rather anxious about her acceptance.

There turned out to be no need. "Mmm, yah said th' magic word," Rogue practically purred as they began the trek back home.

He wondered if she was aware of the fact that she licked her lips… Noticing that only made him focus on her mouth, which was sure to prompt some very impure thoughts. Before his mind could focus more on that sensual image, however, he was distracted by the cigarette being plucked out from between his lips before he even had a chance to inhale. "Hey! Dat's mine!"

"Not anymo' it ain't!" she declared, snapping it in half and tossing it into a garbage bin as they passed. "Those things'll kill yah, yah know."

"So everyone tells me," he said, rolling his eyes. "But I never t'ought I'd hear it from y' of all people – does dat mean y' really care about dis poor Cajun's well-bein'?"

"Oh, please," she scoffed, looking away from him. "Remy, if Ah'm gonna go fo' dinner with yah, there's no way Ah'm gonna stick around with yah smellin' gross. Not ta mention th' fact that dyin' from second-hand smoke ain't exactly high on mah list of ways ta go."

He was about to respond facetiously, but then her words sunk in – specifically, her calling him by his actual name. It was the first time she had ever done so, and the craving for nicotine was pushed from his thoughts. Instead, his mind focused on how nice and warm his name sounded when caressed by her husky Southern accent…

"Rogue, did y' realize dat y' actually called me Remy just den?" he quizzed her, wondering if it was a fluke or a slip of the tongue. He hoped it wasn't, it seemed like a good sign – maybe one of acceptance, or even of friendship? But perhaps that was too much to ask.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Ah know… So what? Did yah realize that yah didn't call me '_chère_'?" she asked, attempting to turn the focus back to him.

"_Oui_, but I've occasionally called y' by yo' name," he reminded her. "Y' never call me Remy."

"Well, don't get used ta it," she groused. "Yah'll always be a swamp rat in mah heart."

"Just as long as I'm in yo' heart, I don't mind," he chirped in reply.

"No, Ah didn't mean it that way!" she tried to back-pedal, uncomfortable at the way he had purposely misconstrued her verbalization.

"_Suuure_ y' didn't…" He greatly enjoyed how flustered his teasing was making her – the pink tinge on her pale white cheeks was absolutely endearing.

"Argh! Ah don't know, maybe th' cigarette smoked worked it's way up inta mah brain an' it's affectin' mah neurons!" she cried, throwing her hands up into the air with a weak attempt at rationalizing her words.

"If dats de case, dat makes me like it even mo'. Mebbe I'll have t' continue smokin', henh? See what ot'er affectionate t'ings y' say."

"Don't push yo' luck, _sugah_," she crooned with exaggerated sweetness, emphasizing the last word.

He blinked, thrown off by the pet name – but in a good way… "What was dat?"

"What, 'sugah'? Dunno exactly, an' ol' habit o' mine, Ah guess," Rogue shrugged nonchalantly. "What, would yah prefer snookums, or muffin, or somethin'? Maybe sweetie-pie, or googly-bear?"

"_Mon Dieu, non_! Wasn' complainin' – I liked it, actually." Oddly enough, it seemed to remind him of home, in a way – or was it just because of the lazy way she drawled it? In truth, he didn't care. There was really no other way to describe it other than _intimate_, and he wanted to hear it again.

She gave a small smile and tentatively offered, "Don't smoke around me an' maybe Ah'll like yah enough ta use it again."

"Well, in dat case…" Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the entire pack and held it until it began to glow a bright magenta colour. When the molecules were moving so quickly that he began to hear a soft humming sound, the thief threw it at the brick wall beside them, where the cigarettes disintegrated into a pile of ash and smoke. "Dere, all gone."

Rogue coughed a bit, waving her arms to try and waft the smell away from her. "Don't get me wrong, Ah'm happy yah did that, but yah'll probably regret it later when yah have a cravin'."

"Den I'll just pick up anot'er pack, 's no big deal."

She looked up at him curiously. "Why do yah smoke, anyway?"

"What do y' mean?" Strangely, it was something he had never been asked before. His father had ordered him to quit because he was too young, _Tante_ Mattie had threatened him with a rolling pin when she caught him smoking inside the house, but nobody had ever inquired as to why he had picked up the vice in the first place. Although to be truthful, he didn't exactly know – it had just seemed like something to do.

"Well, addiction's a sign o' weakness, ain't it?" she elaborated. "Ah' yah're not one ta flaunt yo' weakness."

"True," he admitted, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably, "but I don' t'ink I'd describe m'self as addicted."

"Acceptance is th' first step towards recovery…" she told him in a purposely patronizingly manner.

"Hey, I'm not addicted! I can quit any time I want," Remy insisted.

"Then quit now."

"Fine!"

"Fine?" she echoed, sceptical. "Just like that?"

"Why not?" Surely it couldn't be that hard. It wasn't like he _needed_ to smoke – in fact, he had actually been thinking of slowly weaning himself off the habit, not that she needed to know that little tidbit of information.

"Dunno, just wasn't expectin' it, that's all."

"Dis is me we're talkin' 'bout – I like t' do de unexpected." And surely doing what she suggested would impress her, right?

"True… Gosh, Ah bet yah'll be a pleasure ta be around fo' th' next few weeks," Rogue said sarcastically. "Do me a favour an' stay outta mah way when yah get yo' nicotine fits?"

"Don' t'ink I can do dat, _chère_. I'll be needin' yo' company t' distract me." If anything would be able to draw his attention away from his cravings, it was her – during the whole afternoon spent in the coffee shop with her, not once did he even consider stepping outside for a cigarette.

She sighed, dropping her chin forward onto her chest and looking down at the sidewalk. "Great, what have Ah gotten mahself inta?"

"Not'in' y' can't handle," he assured her.

They walked along for a few minutes, this time in companionable silence. However, a nagging thought was repeating itself in Remy's mind, and he broke the quiet to voice it. "Hey, _chère_? I got just one last question…"

"An' what might that be?"

Their little excursion had been successful regarding entertainment, comfort, discussion, and numerous other factors, but he was curious about the main purpose he had originally set out to achieve. "Was de coffee good enough for y' t' forgive me?"

"Oh mah gosh, Ah honestly fo'got all about that!" the goth gaped.

"Then I guess dat's a '_oui_' den?" he asked hopefully.

She stared at him evenly for a moment, the fact that she needed time to think about it making him nervous. After a few seconds she gave a small smile, however, and simply stated, "_Oui_."

That pleased him more than he thought it would. It wasn't the satisfaction of accomplishment, or of winning something either – it was simply… contentment.

He basked in that feeling for a minute, before hesitantly speaking once more. "…Hey, _chère_?"

"Ah thought yah said that was yo' last question," she teased him slightly. "Besides, wouldn't it be mah turn now?"

"Technically, yes, but dis one's pretty important…" He had asked it before, many times, but now it felt all the more critical.

Her emerald eyes were wide with inquisitiveness. "What?"

"…We friends yet?"

Again, at first there was unnerving silence. Then her eyes narrowed – no, they crinkled in the corners, with happiness instead of suspicion. Remy released the breath he had been holding, predicting an affirmative response was on its way. "…Ah guess so, sugah."

He beamed. "_Bien_." Yes, that pleased him quite a bit.

* * *

Well, look at that, they're friends now! Finally… Now will they ever be more?

**Next chapter** – Remy comes to a realization…

You know, I don't know how I feel about the new Stats feature. On the one hand, I enjoy knowing how many people look at my fics… But on the other, I get rather depressed that so little of you leave reviews. Only 9.5 percent of readers left a review for my last chapter! Let's try to beat that this time, shall we? Pretty please? 11 percent or bust!

Toodles,

– ish –


	12. Moods

**Disclaimer:** Me no owny.

**A/N:** Me again! Hopefully I'll be able to churn out a few more chapters before summer ends… Ironic that I updated more often while school was in session, isn't it? Weird.

Anyhoo, there've been some rumours floating around that review responses aren't allowed. Nothing like that is mentioned in the site rules though, so I think I'll keep at it until it is… After all, I need to thank all my lovely reviewers! Not only did I get the most reviews yet for a chapter, but 19 percent of you dropped me a line! And there I was, thinking that 11 percent was the best you could do… Glad you proved me wrong. I guess the secret is appealing to your competitive spirits, eh?

Rogue14, Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix, gabrielle myka, Invisible Stranger, Rikku Ree, Mai24, sassafras, TheRealMai, Icy Discordia, chicita, cool-chick-rae, Rogue4787, Sweety8587, enchantedlight, Cat2fat900, wildcardrose, naemis, WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc, TheDreamerLady, Silver Ink, Goldylokz, dragonmage06, Freak87, Leishy, heartsyhawk, jupiterfish, addtothenoise, & Dreamcatcher89: Well, look at all these names! Hopefully I'll keep seeing them on the board. And now, your grand prize for leaving me a review is… My sincere thanks! Yeah, you probably feel pretty gypped, eh? ;-)

SweetRevenge151: "Men are rubbish" moods can be quite therapeutic sometimes, I think. It's always good to vent your frustrations – plus, it's a handy excuse to gorge yourself on chocolate and ice cream. And yeah, Remy's plan definitely puts him into the rubbish category, but I think you'll find the next few chappys will have him re-evaluating his decisions.

Krac – You're alive! Holy crapolla, it's nice to 'talk' to you again. I hate to admit it, but you were the last person I was expecting to get a review from… Not that it isn't appreciated, of course. But I hope you realize now that you've revealed yourself to be sneaking around, I'll be expecting reviews for upcoming chapters too! Bwa ha ha. ;-)

darkstorm5000: You know, I had the _exact_ same thought, of Scott screaming in a higher pitch than Rogue. Great minds think alike! I suppose something about Scott just says 'girly screamer'. ;-)

Shira's Song: I find your apprehensiveness about what will happen in this whole love triangle so very amusing! I've found I rather like making people twitchy… and I imagine that anxiety will last for quite a while, cuz we haven't really even begun with the complications! Bwa ha ha. Hopefully that hasn't scared you off now… Don't worry, keep reading – it'll be worth it, I promise.

Colossus: I see where you're coming from. I haven't really been focusing a lot on Rogue, what with more chapters from Remy's point of view and with Carol in them, but there'll be more Rogue coming up, so hopefully that'll paint a more detailed, well-rounded (and flawed) picture of her character.

IvyZoe: Seriously, do you have a crystal ball or something? Are you psychic? I hope this doesn't spoil it, but everything you mentioned will indeed be addressed… Nah, I suppose that doesn't give anything away, cuz you still won't know exactly how it'll all play out! Dun dun duhh…

simba317: Wow, like with practically everything else, I'm in total agreement with you on the Half Blood Prince. Do you think we're twins separated at birth or something? Oh, except for the bit about Second Cup, I can't get enough of those – but I'm slightly bitter that they discontinued my favourite flavour of lattes! I don't know how I'll survive…

Eileen Casual Single-breasted Jacket: You know, the more I say that name, the more I like it… Or do you prefer 'Eileen Sports Jacket Having Pockets and Notched Lapels'? I wouldn't make a chapter titled 'Coffee' into a dark and bitter one, since I only drink coffee that's so intensely sugary that it tastes nothing like real coffee. Hah, Remy coming over to help write Romyness would indeed be fun. Do you think that since we authors are the ones bringing the characters to life, that he'd be focused on us instead of a certain Southerner? We can dream…

SnarkyKat – I worry for me too.

And on the menu today, we have chapter twelve of Symbiotic. It is complimented quite nicely by a glass of Merlot, or may I recommend a nice Chianti? ;-)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 12 – Moods**

**_July 2005_**

The sun was setting, sending splashes of stunning reds and purples across the sky that accompanied the X-Jet as it flew back towards the mansion. The team members aboard had been away for almost three weeks, and it went without saying that they were quite eager to return home. None of them had expected the mission (which had begun, innocently enough, as a routine recruitment) to take so long, but it had evolved into keeping the peace in a small Southern town that didn't look too kindly upon those considered to be different.

Despite their success in breaking up a few riots and preventing a lynching, no new mutant had joined them on their return trip – apparently the team's sales pitch was not enough to convince them to pack up and leave the life they were used to. After takeoff, with the jet on autopilot, Cyclops had lamented that fact – pacing the cabin, he gave the team a stern lecture that deemed their excursion a failure, and yet he concluded with telling them not to get too discouraged.

"I know we didn't complete the mission's objective, so it'll just have to be a lesson for us to try harder next time," he had said resolutely. "Our field manoeuvres were tight, but our recruitment definitely needs some work. Maybe we can work out some speech templates to use when approaching new mutants? Most will probably need reassurance and acceptance, but there are always the few who are angry and will need to be calmed down. If we develop outlines, then we can all memorize them and personalize them to the specific recruits…"

It was right about then that Remy had rolled his eyes and stopped listening. Yes, technically they hadn't done what they had set out to do, but that didn't mean good hadn't been accomplished. They had saved a scared young mutant from a angry mob and struck fear in the townspeople's hearts regarding ever so much as looking at said mutant the wrong way again… Not only had the Cajun considered threatening the ignorant folk to be a good deed done, but good fun as well.

With Scott's rambling speech long over and the boy back in his coveted pilot's seat, Gambit sighed. He was bored. There wasn't much to occupy him – despite its many technological advancements, the Blackbird didn't show in-flight movies. His hands twitched, eager for something to engage them with. Unconsciously extending his index and middle fingers, much like would be done when holding a cigarette, he grimaced. For once being true to his word, he had ditched the habit – despite finding himself a bit more irritable than usual lately, it actually wasn't all that bad. At least, not until moments when he was stressed, or bored, which were when his cravings tended to strike. Now was one of those moments.

He leaned back in his seat, propping a foot up across his opposite knee. Pulling out a deck of cards, he began to shuffle them, keeping his hands busy while his eyes keenly scoured the rest of the jet. Nobody was speaking. Was it due to Scott's scolding and disappointment about no new team mate? Or was it due to tiredness, or simply anticipation to be getting home?

Gambit gazed over at Storm, who was serenely sitting with her eyes closed and hands neatly folded in her lap. As usual, she appeared completely composed. His eyes slid over to Jubilee, who was blowing large pink bubbles with her chewing gum, and managing to paint her nails with a perfectly matching shade at the same time. Across from the two females sat Iceman and Cannonball, both engrossed in playing on their Gameboys, noticing nothing else. However, every few minutes one of the younger mutants would glance at their watches or out the window – it was clear they were itching to return to Bayville.

Remy could relate. As nice as it was to be back down South again, with the familiar drawls and the comfortable heat and the lazy pace of life, his entire being had been uncomfortably conflicted for the majority of the time. Being so close to his beloved city of New Orleans had only prompted pangs to return home, yet at the same time he didn't dare, and all for one reason: Belladonna.

He had phoned her again, a while ago. Their conversation had been brief – she had still been irritated with him, her words short. In fact, she seemed almost eager to get off the phone, which he certainly wasn't going to argue against. Despite her anger, however, he knew that if she got wind of him being within a hundred miles of her, she would swoop in like the vulture she was, sinking her talons into him and never letting go. That alone was enough to make him think twice about popping in for a visit home… But the problem was that, in spite of the threat, he couldn't help but have third and fourth thoughts about it as well.

Remy still yearned for a quick visit with his family, with his friends… The risk shouldn't have bothered him. After all, he was a thief – he took bigger risks on a regular basis, sometimes even going so far as to seek them out. Yet something in this particular scenario always prompted him to pause and reconsider. He would, of course, eventually decide to play it safe and place a greater value on his freedom. But then a few more contemplations would bring him around again, planning on how to covertly sneak into the Big Easy without attracting the Assassins' attention.

The cycle had continued throughout the entire mission. The Cajun had never thought he would be so happy to hear an order from Cyclops in his life, but when their leader had finally decided that the situation was stable enough that they could head back, he had been glad. There would be no need for him to make a decision, since they were returning to New York. He had been taken away from temptation.

He sighed, cutting the cards in his hands and staring down at the Queen of Hearts. A part of him still wanted to be back in the Thieves' mansion, but the Xavier Institute would just have to suffice for now. Besides, he could always reminisce about the South with Rogue, taking comfort in her soft drawl and spicy cooking. As substitutes went, that was a pretty good one.

Just then Scott's voice broke through the silence, instructing everybody to buckle up, as they would be landing momentarily. Remy, as per usual, ignored the order. Instead, he leaned forward to get a better view as the plane flew into the landing bay, which was concealed in a steep cliff face by a roaring waterfall. He had witnessed the same procedure many times, but he couldn't help but grin – it was just so very _superhero_.

Bracing himself as the Blackbird shook slightly at touchdown, he then relaxed as the jet smoothly coasted into the hangar. Jubilee, Bobby and Sam had (contrary to established safety procedures) already leapt from their seats and were waiting impatiently for Scott to open the door. They rushed out the second he did so, chatting excitedly between themselves, eager to brag to the others about what they had done on the mission. He followed a second later, walking leisurely down the ramp, but nearly running into Jean on the way.

"Hey dere, Jeannie," he nodded in greeting.

"Hey Remy," she cheerfully replied. "Nice to see you again, you were all gone a long time!"

"Well, take dat up wit' yo' boyfriend," he groaned.

"Oh, believe me, I will," she harrumphed, raising an irate eyebrow.

"Ooh, is Scooter in trouble?" he clucked his tongue, chuckling. "Does he need some pointers in how t' treat de ladies? Send him my way if y' want, I wouldn't mind impartin' some o' my wisdom."

The redhead smiled and laughed. "I'll tell him – I'm sure him knowing that you offered will definitely motivate him to make it up to me on his own!"

Watching her go by and step on to the plane, Remy had to wonder at the skewed order the boy's priorities were in. He was still in the cockpit, anally checking over the instruments one more time, instead of rushing out to meet his girlfriend. What was wrong with him? There was such a thing as taking your job _too_ seriously.

Shaking his head in bemused exasperation, he started forward again, only to catch sight of a familiar person entering the hangar. A smile broke out on his face as he waved to the auburn-haired girl, eager to finally talk to her again, to have a stimulating conversation once more. The excitement only grew when he witnessed Rogue's reaction – he managed to make out the largest beam he had ever seen before she squealed and literally flew into his arms.

Just barely managing to react in time to catch her, he blurted out in surprise, "Wow, _chère_, guess y' really missed me while I was gone, henh?"

"Of course I missed you, silly!" she exclaimed, and Remy immediately noted the absence of a Southern accent. Not quite understanding the strong sense of disappointment coursing through him, he pulled back a bit and peered into blue eyes. They certainly confirmed the girl's identity, and he frowned.

"What?" she asked worriedly, shooting him a sultry pout as her hands rested lightly on his chest. "Can't a girl miss her boyfriend?"

"Course y' can, Carol," he quickly replied with a smooth grin, which took quite a bit of effort this time. Now, how to word what he wanted to say without her taking it the wrong way? "Uh, it's just dat I fo'got de month ended while I was gone, I wasn't expectin' y'."

Thankfully, she didn't seem to pick up on the fact that his statement could have implied he had been expecting Rogue. Instead, she batted her long eyelashes coyly at him and purred, "Well, aren't I a nice surprise?"

"_Oui_, o' course," he lied with an indulgent smile, as he slowly attempted to disentangle himself from her grip so he could exit the hangar. He managed, but the girl simply trotted along beside him like a puppy dog, sliding her arm tightly around his.

As they entered the elevator, Remy tried hard to stifle a groan – he simply wasn't in the mood for this. He had been looking forward to sharing some new jokes and quips about their good ol' fearless leader with Rogue, but now she wasn't here. Then why couldn't he tell those things to Carol? His brow furrowed, but he shrugged the question off. It wasn't important. He simply didn't feel like any of this right now, and he needed some sort of reasonable excuse to get away from it.

"Uh, Carol?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Dis poor Cajun's worn out after de mission, y' don' mind if I head off t' bed, do y'?" he questioned, throwing on an apologetic expression.

"Oh, of course not!" Carol cried. "You go rest up – that way you'll have plenty of energy so we can do something together tomorrow!"

"Great…" Remy said half-heartedly as the door opened, and they stepped out into the hall. "Guess I'll see y' den," he mumbled as he began to swiftly head off in the direction of the boy's quarters, suddenly exhausted. He was tempted by thoughts of his comfortable bed, not to mention a clean shower that was fully functional.

Before he could get far, however, he felt a hand grab his sleeve and pull him back. He looked over at Carol, who moved closer to him. "Sweet dreams," she whispered seductively, stepping up on her tiptoes to place a tender kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"Carol…" he murmured unsurely, furtively glancing up and down the hallway – luckily, it was deserted.

The girl didn't seem to care. She simply shot him a coy smile, then turned and flounced away.

Gambit watched her go, suddenly feeling much tenser than he had just mere moments ago. Lifting a hand to touch the tingling spot where her lips had caressed his, he sighed. Now he probably wouldn't be sleeping as soundly as he had expected, and the shower he was planning on taking would have to be a cold one…

- X -

**_The next day…_**

Just as he had predicted, Remy hadn't received a good night's sleep. First he had tossed and turned for hours, and then when he had finally drifted off, visions of lips danced through his head. He had been exhausted when he had awoken in the morning, and the fact that the team had a session in the Danger Room certainly hadn't helped matters. Add in one final debriefing about their mission at Scott's insistence, and it all came out to the Cajun's brain feeling as if lost in a dense fog, one roughly the consistency of thick pea soup. And he hated pea soup.

After leaving the War Room (where he had miraculously kept himself from nodding off, although it had taken considerable effort), he considered heading back to bed, but realized that sleep most likely still wouldn't come. Instead, he headed for the library, the quietest place on the mansion grounds. At least he could get some peace there, and unwind after the training session with his usual routine – lounging around and playing cards.

Walking between the musty bookshelves until he reached a window, he settled himself down on the seat and pulled out one of the many decks he habitually (and neurotically) kept on his person. Swiftly shuffling them, he began assembling a house out of the cards, thankful that the process didn't require any higher brain functions.

A while later, after his paper structure had just received a newly constructed fifth story, he heard a noise. It was the library door creaking open, and then the sound of muffled footsteps on the carpeted floor. Looking up, he saw Rogue glance curiously around the corner at the end of the aisle, and he smiled. Perfect, maybe he could convince her to play some poker with him… with the stakes being another dinner date.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" she cried when she saw him, and inwardly Remy cursed himself for forgetting once again that it was Carol's month. Damn, that was twice now, in just as many days – he would really have to stop doing that.

Now he fought hard to keep the pleasant expression on his face as the girl walked towards him. "Mornin', Carol."

"Morning!" she perkily beamed back, sashaying over. Her eyes racked over his card house and she exclaimed, "Wow! You're really good at that!"

"_Merci_," he replied shortly, focusing on adding another card. His hand steadily moved closer, the piece of paper about to be gently placed on the tower, just barely brushing the top, when Carol plopped down next to him. The movement was enough to slightly jar his arm, and the cards all toppled down.

"Ooops," she winced. "Well, you were pretty good up to that point…"

Remy took a deep breath, and directed his attention towards picking up the cards instead of dwelling on his frustration. "What are y' doin' here?"

"Looking for you, of course! Why are you hiding away in here? Libraries are so boring…"

Remy suddenly felt the urge to ask her if she had ever even been in one during her lifetime, but restrained himself. Instead he just shrugged nonchalantly and dealt himself a game of Solitaire. "Just felt like de quiet, I guess."

She picked some imaginary lint off her corduroy skirt and mused, "Yeah? It seems a bit _too_ quiet in here."

'Not anymore,' he thought as he drew the ace of spades and placed it in its own pile.

When he didn't reply, the thief could see her shift uncomfortably. "Uh, so… I was thinking we should do something!"

He pulled another card, placing a black queen on a red king before glancing up her. "Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know… Coffee, a movie, whatever!" she suggested eagerly, sitting up straighter and managing to scatter one of his rows.

He frowned as he tidied his cards once more. "Dunno," he answered evasively. "Don't know if I feel like goin' out."

Now it was Carol's turn to frown, although it quickly turned into a wry grin as she joked, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me!"

For once she was spot on – he was in less in the mind-set to deal with her now than he had been yesterday. Maybe catching a quick nap and getting a good meal into him would give him more energy for the task? First he would have to buy some time. "Now why on earth would anybody in deir right mind want t' avoid a _fille_ like y'self?" he smiled, slipping back to his disarmingly charming persona.

"No idea!" she laughed, preening a bit.

"O' course I'm not purposely avoidin' y'," he lied, setting his cards down and looking straight into her blue eyes to reassure her. He spared a thought about how they didn't fit her face as well as the emerald ones before he continued, "It's just dat I didn' sleep well last night, I'm still kinda tired. I'm not really in de mood f'r goin' out right now, not t' mention dat I prob'ly wouldn't be very good company."

"Aww, hon, you're always good company!" Carol cooed, reaching over to grab his hands in her gloved ones. "But you do look beat. Well, how about you take a little snooze this afternoon and we can go out later this evening? I haven't seen you for over a month, I really want to spend some time with my boyfriend!"

There was that word again… But he conjured up a smile and a nod. "Sounds good, _ma jolie_." His words sounded very unenthusiastic to his own ears, but their target didn't appear to notice.

"Great!" she exclaimed. "Is around seven okay?"

"Sure."

"Good, I'll see you then, hon."

After she spoke, Carol began to lean towards him. Remy knew what was coming – another kiss. A part of him was aching to simply close the distance between them and taste those sweet lips once again… But for once, a more logical part of his brain shone through, telling him that if he let that mouth touch his then he definitely wouldn't get the rest he needed to endure another date with the girl.

Sighing to himself, the Cajun quickly forced himself to stand before she could move any closer. "Well, guess I better take dat nap now!" he chuckled awkwardly, running a hand through his hair. "See y' 'round seven, den."

Leaving behind a girl with a perplexed expression on her face, he abandoned his deck of cards and briskly strode from the library. Once again he found himself desperately craving a cigarette…

- X -

That evening, when Remy threw on his trench coat over his outfit, he prayed that it wasn't one that happened to match Carol's ensemble again. His patience with her was wearing a bit thin… He didn't think he could take the frivolousness of her insisting on changing clothes like she had before.

For a moment he contemplated simply not going, ending this little pursuit that seemed to be causing him nothing but annoyance lately, but then he frowned. Remy LeBeau, put off by something as trivial as an irritating girl? That wasn't like him at all. No, he wasn't one to give up that easily. He could handle it, he reassured himself as he walked down the hall to his date's room.

When she opened her door, he was glad to see their outfits weren't similar in the least, her in khakis and a yellow top and him in black pants and a navy t-shirt. But what if she came up with something else equally silly, like their colours being too complementary? He crossed his finger and hoped that wasn't the case. Thankfully, she just smiled.

"Hey, you look much better now!" she greeted him. "I guess the nap helped, huh?"

"Oh yeah, it worked wonders." In actuality, he hadn't managed to doze off. Instead, he had just consumed a few cups of coffee a while ago, and prayed the caffeine buzz wouldn't wear off before their excursion came to an end.

"Great! Then let's go!" Carol exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him off down the hall.

"So, where we goin'?"

She stared at him with an incredulous look. "Isn't the guy supposed to be the one to plan this sort of thing?"

"Oh, uh…" he faltered. "Well, I just assumed dat since it was yo' idea t' go out tonight, y' had somet'in' in mind…"

"No, not really," she frowned, as they paused on the way down the stairs. Suddenly she brightened up, and practically skipped down the rest of the flight. "But oh, I just got an idea! There's a movie I've been wanting to see, and I think you'll like it too! Ooh, we'll just make it for the seven thirty show, let's hurry!"

She quickly led the way to the garage, and straddled the back of his motorcycle as he reached for the helmets. She had certainly taken a shine to his precious bike… or more likely, a shine to sitting in such close proximity to him. Now why couldn't Rogue think like that, he thought with a wry grin.

They reached the cinemas fifteen minutes later. Remy was marginally distracted by the feel of Carol's hands around his body, but as she dismounted the bike, he found that his mind cleared slightly. He had barely stood when the girl grabbed his hand, eagerly dragging him into the building.

Like _Tante_ Mattie had taught him, he chivalrously held the door open for her as they entered the lobby. Glancing around after he let it swing closed, Remy happened to look over at the spot where he and Rogue had had their ludicrous argument over buying tickets. He couldn't help but chuckle quietly.

"What's so funny?" his date asked inquisitively, hearing him.

He shook his head quickly. "Nothin', don't worry about it."

Carol seemed as if she would pry further, but then apparently decided it didn't matter. Shrugging, she walked over to the ticket line.

Once at the box office window she asked for two tickets for some movie he had never heard of, but the title positively screamed 'chick-flick'. He handed over the money from his wallet apprehensively, suddenly not so sure if he was brave enough to go further – especially after the man working the cash register shot him a look of pity.

Two and a half hours later had the Cajun wishing he had heeded to his feeling of dread, which had only blossomed after he had taken in the looks of terror on the faces of other men being dragged into the theatre. It had been two and a half hours of pure cheesiness and sappy dialogue, two and a half hours of horrible and unconvincing acting, two and a half hours of his life that he would never ever get back…

The only positive aspect was that at least Remy had gotten some sleep. He had dozed off after the first fifteen minutes and woke up right before the end, luckily without Carol having been the wiser. One look at the tear tracks running down her face and he could tell that she had been much too riveted by the story to even so much as glance at him – at least until the end credits began to roll, when she turned to face him.

"Oh my God, wasn't that the best movie _ever_?" she wailed, squeezing his arm while still sniffling emotionally. "It was _so_ romantic! They had me a bit worried near the end there, it got so sad, but I'm so glad everything worked out. Don't you just love happy endings? I absolutely loved it! Didn't you love it?"

"Right, yeah, definitely," he nodded vigorously while stifling a yawn. He got up and began to direct her out of the theatre, but from the look on her face it was clear she was expecting a more in-depth critique. "Uh… It was… so emotional, de characters really drew y' in, henh?"

"Oh, totally!" she cried. "The acting was so great – it really felt real, like we were right there with them! What was your favourite part?"

"Oh, well… it was all so good, y' know? Hard t' pick just one part over all de rest."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she agreed, and the thief began to breathe easier, but then she continued. "But come on, you must've had a favourite scene!"

Okay, if he stuck to a vague, generic answer he could get away with it… "Um… Well, I guess it'd have t' be at de end, when she forgave him fo' not tellin' her about his ex." He crossed his fingers and hoped that something like that had actually happened – that was one of the clichéd things that transpired in practically every tear-jerker, right? Not to mention that he had dreamt about something resembling that storyline, perhaps it had been brought on by the movie sounds filtering into his mind? He desperately hoped that was the case.

Remy's relief was palpable as Carol concurred. "Oh wow, that was my favourite scene too! Why'd you like it?"

He gritted his teeth in frustration, but turned the action into a smile. "Well… I guess it was nice t' see dat love could endure even after such a big secret was kept?" he offered tentatively.

"Oh wow, I totally agree with you! It really shows how strong their love was," she continued to gush as they exited the building and headed back to Remy's bike. "I mean, for her to forgive him after keeping something so important from her? I guess true love really does conquer all, huh?"

He was uneasily aware that the situation drew a parallel to his own life, and he wanted to move on from such topics, when suddenly he was struck with curiosity. "Would y' be able t' do dat?" he blurted out inquiringly.

"Do what?"

"Forgive somebody if dey kept somet'in' like dat from y'," he elaborated, fiddling with the helmet in his hands.

She remained silent for a few seconds, pursing her lips in consideration. "You know, if it was someone I really loved, then yeah, I think I'd forgive them." Then a moment later she suddenly laughed, prompting him to stare at her. "But jeez, I don't really have anything to worry about now, do I? I mean, you're not keeping some deep, dark secret from me!"

He quietly chuckled as well, although he joined in a beat too late. "Yeah, yeah, o' course… Y' ready t' head home, den?"

He didn't wait for her response as he jammed his own helmet on, mounted his motorcycle, and revved the engine. When he felt her get on behind him and grasp his abdomen, he sped off in the direction of the Institute.

A while later found them back in the garage. Entering the mansion, all was quiet, for which Remy was grateful – he didn't want to explain to anybody what they had been doing out, and he certainly didn't want to attract any unwelcome attention to his and Carol's relationship. What the true nature of that relationship was, however, he didn't even know, and was in no mood to contemplate tonight. Instead, the young man just escorted the girl up the stairs and to her bedroom door.

Remy was about to open his mouth to wish her a good night, when she suddenly moved faster than anybody he had ever seen. Grabbing the lapels of his coat in her fists, she pulled him into her room and shoved him into the back of her door. His mass slammed it shut, but before he could even make a sound of surprise, her body was pressed up against him, her lips all over his.

In the first second of contact, it registered in his mind that something about it wasn't right. An instant later, however, his mind became a pleasant haze, losing itself in the feelings the girl in front of him was helping to create.

Quickly getting over his shock, Remy's body began to response instantly, instinctively. He moved his mouth against hers frantically, wrapping an arm around her waist to bring her even closer to him. He could feel the soft curves of her breasts and hips pressing into his toned body, her shapely parts somehow managing to fit perfectly against his own firm ones. His eyes drifted closed, and he opened his mouth to trace over her lips with his tongue. Her sweet mouth opened further at the action, giving him access to explore.

It had been so long since he had felt anything like this! The passion was building, making his skin tingle, and Remy began to lose himself in the moment, concentrating on nothing but the sensations he was feeling. One hand was caressing up and down her sleek, toned back, able to discern the muscles moving beneath his fingertips. The other had cupped the back of her head, tangled up in her silky auburn and white tresses, keeping her mouth planted against his, unwilling to let her move away.

She was so soft, and so warm… She felt so good. He felt her fling her arms around his neck, and he couldn't help but moan as she ground against him.

"Rogue…"

The next second his eyes had snapped open, realizing what he had just spoken. His utterance didn't go unnoticed by the girl kissing him either, as she instantly shoved away from him.

"What did you just say?" Carol asked slowly, suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.

Remy winced. "Not'in'!"

"No, I heard you!" she shrieked, placing her hands on her hips. "You called me Rogue! Why on earth would you say that?"

"Carol, please, calm down…" he tried to soothe her, holding out his hands in a placating manner and taking a few tentative steps towards her.

"Calm down?" she screeched, jumping back and beginning to pace back and forth. "Calm down? Why the hell should I calm down! My boyfriend was thinking about another girl while I was making out with him! How can I be calm after that?"

"It doesn't mean anyt'in', please let me explain!" he beseeched, his brain working overtime in attempts to come up with some plausible justifications for his little slip-up. He wondered if she would believe them…

"Explain?" she repeated in a low, dangerous voice. The young mutant laughed humourlessly, crossing her arms across her chest. "Yeah, sure, why not? I'd love to see how you explain this!"

"Okay," he breathed in relief, thankful for a chance to dig himself out of this mess. Now, once again, it was time to spin some fabulous falsehoods. "I'm sorry, I really am… I guess I just got caught up in de moment. I mean, dere I was kissin' y', and I open my eyes t' see Rogue's body… It was just a slip o' de tongue, I swear." Then he smirked, hoping he could win her over with his usual sauciness. "Didn't seem like y' minded my tongue slippin', henh?"

Her blue eyes were weary, and she hadn't shifted from her apprehensive pose. "That's it? It was just a mistake?"

"O' course! Rogue's body threw me off, but it's y' I really want," he lied, but doing his best to sound earnest. However, he could see that Carol still appeared disbelieving, and he knew it was time for some more untruths, to tell her what she wanted to hear. Taking a deep breath, he forced out the words and thanked his lucky stars that Rogue couldn't hear him, since he was sure she'd kill him. "After all, Rogue's just some pathetic goth girl dat can't touch… Why would I possibly want her?"

Those words did the trick. While Remy was tense, hating himself for what he had just said, Carol visibly relaxed and began to nod. "Yeah… Yeah, of course."

"So y' accept my apology?" Remy asked, although truthfully, he didn't care about the answer as much as he probably should have.

The girl slowly exhaled, but then a tentative smile crossed her face. "…I guess I do."

"_Bien_," Remy said, nearing and taking her hands in his. "An' again, I'm really sorry. I'll make it up t' y', I promise."

"Okay," Carol agreed, smiling more readily this time. "And you don't have to apologize again, it's fine. I know this is a strange situation, what with me in this body, and I think I overreacted a bit. I mean, what was I thinking, you wanting Rogue!"

She laughed, and the thief grinned forcibly. "Uh, yeah, exactly…"

"Well, then I guess there's no real problem! But gosh, she really is a mood-killer, huh?" she stated, back to her perky self once again. "You can start making it up to me tomorrow, okay? Maybe we can go shopping or something, there's a sale on at the mall…"

"Great," he managed to say. "Den I'll see y' tomorrow..." He moved in to place a small, chaste kiss on her cheek, not trusting himself with other locations. "G'night, Carol," he told her, repeating her name just as a further reminder to himself.

"Goodnight," she murmured, giving him a smitten look as he turned and headed out the door, closing it behind him.

Once safely out in the hall, Remy paused and slumped against the wall, letting his head slam back on it in exasperation. Damn it. How the hell could he have been so careless? That was such a stupid thing to say, a sloppy mistake. What the hell had he been thinking?

No, he knew what he had been thinking – that was the problem.

He thought he had been kissing Rogue instead of Carol. More specifically, he had _wanted_ to be kissing Rogue instead of Carol.

"…_Merde_."

* * *

Well, well, well. Isn't this an interesting turn of events?

**Next chapter** – Remy confronts Carol about her ability to touch!

So. Last chapter we had a 19 percent review rate, which is just fabulous. Think we can beat that this time? Let's aim for 21 percent, so everybody please do your part and leave a few words! Seriously, any word will do! 'Bumbershoot' is my current favourite…

Toodles,

– ish –


	13. Rationalizations

**Disclaimer:** Nope, the X-Men still aren't mine. And at this rate, they probably never will be.

**A/N:** Oh goody, I managed to churn out one last chapter before I start school. Let's just hope I continue to have enough free time after it begins, shall we? Well, I probably will – we all know that fan fics take precedence over learning, right? ;-)

Sweety8587, darkstorm5000, heartsyhawk, Rogue14, chicita, dragonmage06, mia126, naemis, Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix, EE's Skysong, Rikku Ree, cool-chick-rae, WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc, & Cheeky: Thanks for your reviews! Eternal gratitude is bestowed upon you all! That's right, _eternal_ – you'll be getting thank yous from me for so long that you'll get stick of them!

Flowerperson, wildcardrose, CloeyMarie, Leishy, & Cat2fat900: Thanks for the bumbershoots, all! Muchly appreciated, they are – now I'll never be without one in case of rain… which tends to happen to me a lot.

TheRealMai: Bumbershoot is a colloquial term for umbrella. I've started using it, and people look at me like I'm crazy! Which I am, so it's all good.

simba317: Wow, that was your vacation-length review? I'd hate to see how long it would've been otherwise! Well, not _hate_, cuz I'd enjoy it… Anyway. Symbolism in the falling house of cards! Thanks for pointing that out, because I actually didn't notice it – I just sort of stuck it in on a whim, funny how that happens… Uh, I mean, no, it was definitely all planned, which shows my fantastic allegorical skills… _riiight_. ;-)

The Rogue Cajun: Loved the nod to Dumbledore! Poor Dumbledore… _sigh_!

TheDreamerLady: Hmm, ishyfantastic _is_ a great word! ;-) To find out the percentages, divide the number of reviews you get for a chapter by the number of hits, then multiply by 100. It's probably the only time I'll ever use math in the real world… I mean, who needs to learn about exponential functions and derivatives? They're definitely not as much fun.

Mai24: Don't worry, nobody walked by and heard that. I can be clichéd sometimes, but not _that_ clichéd. ;-)

SweetRevenge151: Months in that sort of mood, eh? Okay, yes, I definitely recommend the gin. That, or just giving up on men altogether, which after observing some of their idiocy (and even after writing Remy's!) I'm actually tempted to do. ;-)

ragincajunlover: Ooh, discombobulated? That's probably a close second for my favourite words.

IvyZoe: Again, some spot-on insights… But watch what you say about blondes, cuz a certain author that writes a certain fic that you may just happen to be reading right now is one! ;-)

Shira's Song: Oh, your review had a lot of good words. Schadenfreude is one of my favourites, and there'll probably be plenty more of it coming up. A spontaneous combustion would be rather satisfying, but then the rest of my complexly thought-out plot would be useless, and we don't want that, do we? And hah, calling Carol a Mosquito-Bite-in-a-Place-You-Can't-Reach is _so_ very true! That made me laugh out loud.

Well, enough of my ramblings. On to lucky number 13!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 13 – Rationalizations**

**_July 2005_**

Lack of sleep never used to bother him. In fact, as a thief, it was common for Remy to pull all-nighters. It was usually a simple task – take a nap earlier in the afternoon, ingest a few cups of coffee, and then get the adrenaline pumping through your veins with the rush of the heist…

No, premeditated lack of sleep had never been a problem. It was only a problem when he wanted nothing more than to sleep, but _couldn't_. It was frustrating beyond belief! The red lights of his alarm clock were glowing, taunting him with the fact that it was now one in the morning. He had gone to bed two hours ago, and still no rest…

He tried his hardest to relax, to empty his mind of all thoughts so he could just drift off. Closing his eyes, Remy began to regulate his breathing, putting some meditation techniques into practise.

Breathe in… Breathe out… Breathe in… Breathe out…

But no, that didn't work. Opening his eyes, he saw the clock read ten past one.

It then occurred to him that perhaps he was trying too hard. Maybe he should simply take a few deep breaths and attempt to embrace the dark and nothingness... So he just lay there, doing his best to not think about anything. Except that in the process of telling himself that, he realized that forcing himself to think of nothing was indeed thinking of something, and it all went downhill from there… Insomnia often led to strange wanderings of the mind, but in this case it appeared to be the other way around.

Grumbling in frustration, the Cajun opened his eyes again. Twenty past one…

What if the old trick of counting sheep would help? Shutting his eyes once again, he pictured fluffy white ewes jumping over a little wooden fence as they bleated and baaed, and he began to count them. He got to four thousand, five hundred and thirty two before he concluded it wasn't helping.

He sighed and opened his eyes once more, the vast herd of sheep he had amassed disappearing. Now his alarm clock blinked two forty, and Remy was sure that if inanimate objects could have facial expressions, it would be insufferably smirking at him…

Perhaps if he busied himself with something, he might nod off in the middle of it? It was worth a shot. Well, at this point, he was desperate enough to try anything – this was now the second night in a row with him having trouble sleeping, and it was taking its toll. Reaching over to his bedside table and grabbing a deck of cards, he began playing Solitaire.

Forty seven rounds later, he gave up. Now it was five thirty… That insufferable clock was taunting him!

Remy irately brushed the cards off his bedspread and onto the floor, too annoyed to care where they landed. Then he simply flopped down on his bed, cocooned himself in his covers, and remained perfectly still. He would have to fall asleep eventually, right?

No, apparently not. Five thirty five… Five forty… Five forty five…

A watched pot never boiled. Perhaps there was a similar adage about watched alarm clocks?

Five fifty…. Five fifty five… No, apparently not. It just had to keep merrily blinking its numbers, as if enjoying the torture it was inflicting upon the thief.

His mind appeared to be too full, continuously racing – like there was a hyperactive little bunny scurrying away on a treadmill, determined to get the carrot dangling just out of reach in front of him. He was unable to concentrate on anything else… Except instead of caring about an insignificant orange vegetable, the focus was his predicament with Carol and Rogue.

At first the Cajun had been scolding himself, disbelieving that he could have made such a stupid mistake, that he could have uttered Rogue's name so carelessly. He was supposed to have been in control! But no, he had been completely lost in that kiss. There was no way he could have stopped that whisper from leaving his lips, he hadn't even been capable of rational thought at the time. His mouth had been moving of its own accord, too wrapped up in its explorations of Carol's.

So then, it had been her fault, he had decided. Yes, she had been the one who had kissed him, after all. It was all because of her. Except that _he_ had thought he was kissing Rogue. He had _wanted_ to be kissing Rogue…

But that wasn't a surprise, Remy then told himself. After all, when he had first seen her, he had been attracted to her. She was beautiful, gorgeous, stunning... There was nothing more to it than that, he had insisted firmly, speaking over a laughing little voice in the back of his mind. When that beautiful body had kissed him, well, it was only natural that he would respond with enthusiasm, right? And it was only natural that he would accidentally murmur the name of the beautiful body's true owner, right? She was the person that he associated the body with, after all. Right. Of course. That was it, he had concluded.

Yet that had only prompted more questions amidst his weary tossing and turning, the main one being _how_ she had kissed him. Well, no – he was perfectly aware of the mechanics behind it. Lip-to-lip contact, gentle caressing, a parting of the mouth, the slow caressing of tongues… Quickly shaking his head, the young man snapped back to attention – it wouldn't do any good to replay the scene yet _again_. Rather, the issue was how had Carol been able to control Rogue's powers in order to kiss him? Again, back to the query he had pondered over for months, with still no answer in sight.

Why could Carol kiss him when Rogue couldn't touch at all? That question only prompted a traitorous little whisper from the back of his mind – he wanted Rogue to be able to touch, didn't he? He would rather she had control over the absorption powers than Carol, because he wanted to be kissing Rogue. …Well, yes, he could admit to that. Why would he prefer to touch a girl he found annoying over one he liked, he had rationalized. That was all there was to it… Although when the mutant told himself that, he found it sounded somewhat unconvincing.

That only led him to question his own intentions. Again he began to justify them, but was never quite able to find a satisfying response… And his doubts prompted more self-examination, but he still couldn't find any suitable answers, and he kept staring up at the ceiling because his thoughts just wouldn't turn off, and _he just wanted to sleep_!

He told himself he wouldn't look at the clock again. No, it would just aggravate him… But he couldn't help it. It was now six thirty seven… At least there wasn't a Danger Room practise scheduled for this morning, or else he might have dozed off mid-back flip.

Dropping an arm over his eyes, he let out a groan. He contemplated getting up, since clearly the Sandman had passed over Remy LeBeau that night, but decided against it. It wasn't the fault of his poor, comfortable bed that he had been unable to sleep, and at least he was warm and cozy and snug lounging where he was…

And while he remained motionless, his thoughts kept racing around and around in a vicious cycle that left nothing solved. Seven o'clock… Seven thirty… Eight… Eight thirty… Nine. Ten hours had passed of him unable to catch so much as a single wink out of the desired forty, and still he was no closer to having any of his ponderings solved because of it. Clearly, he had none of the answers he required.

Then his brow furrowed, and he sat up suddenly. Even if he didn't have any of the explanations he was looking for, that didn't mean nobody else did! He was tired of guesses and conjecture and presumptions and speculation – they would simply drive him around the bend. It wasn't enough to inconspicuously interrogate friends and team mates – it was time to go straight to the source.

With a surprising burst of energy drawing from his newfound determination, the Cajun threw off his covers and quickly tossed on the first pieces of clothing he could lay his hands on. Yanking open his door, he jogged off down the hallway towards the girls' dormitories. Thankfully the path was clear – not only did he not want anybody to see him so desperate to talk to Carol, but it was also frowned upon for males to be in the females' quarters. Not that it had ever stopped him before, of course.

He paused outside of Carol's bedroom, wondering if she was awake just yet – she didn't seem the type that got an early start on her day. Placing his ear against the door, he heard a shuffling inside, so he knocked.

"Who is it?" her voice called. It sounded alert, as if she had been awake for some time. Perhaps she had had trouble sleeping as well? If there was any justice in the world, then she would have, he thought vindictively – misery loved company, after all.

"It's Remy," he replied, placing a hand on the doorknob. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, hon!"

He pushed the door open, quickly darted in before anybody could see him, and then shut it once in the room. Looking around, he found the girl sitting on her bed in her pyjamas, a satiny pink tank top and a skimpy pair of shorts. He swallowed hard, and tried to concentrate on something else. He diverted his attention to the bottle of nail polish remover beside her, watching as she poured a few drops of it on to a cotton ball and wiped Rogue's black nail polish off of her fingers.

Glancing up while in the middle of her task, she smiled at him. "You're up early. Couldn't wait to get started on our day, huh?"

"_Bon matin, belle_," he greeted her wearily.

"What's that mean?" she asked curiously.

"Means 'good mornin', beautiful'," he replied smoothly. Hopefully starting off with flattery would butter her up enough to reveal some information…

"Aww, you're so sweet," she grinned, then gazed back down at her nails. She looked up a second later, however, with a thoughtful expression on her face. "That's new, isn't it? You usually call me… Uh, well, whatever that word in French is that means 'pretty'."

"Oh, uh, well, just t'ought I'd be more accurate! Y' really are beautiful, y' know," he quickly fabricated an explanation. It would do no good to let her know that if he called her by the newly decided pet name then it would serve to remind him of Belladonna, helping him to focus on his annoyance and frustration instead of his lust.

He had expected her to blush and perhaps giggle a bit, as she usually did, but neither action occurred. Instead, she frowned slightly as she tossed the soiled cotton ball in the trashcan, and then mused, "I know you mean well and all, but I've been thinking… It's not really much of a compliment, is it? After all, this was originally Rogue's body – so aren't you saying that she's the one you find beautiful, and not me?"

Inwardly, Remy cursed. The same thought had crossed his mind before, and he had speculated as to how long it would take Carol to wonder about it as well. He had hoped never, since now it eliminated the one thing he felt he could honestly compliment her on, despite the fact that she was correct and it technically wasn't even her he was admiring.

Well, he would have to revert to his trusty old standby – lying through his teeth. "Oh, Carol, when I compliment y', I'm only t'inkin' about y', not de whole situation! But y're right, I suppose – it might not mean de same because o' dat. But it's not just about looks – y'r beautiful personality shines t'rough too…" he forced out poetically.

He felt like congratulating himself when Carol gave a watery smile. "Oh Remy, you're just too wonderful!" she cried emotionally, jumping up and throwing herself into his arms for a tight hug. "You have no idea how much that means to me!"

"Dere, dere," he mumbled awkwardly, lightly patting her on the back in a half-hearted attempt to soothe her.

Thankfully, she pulled away a second later, but continued to wail. "I'm just so grateful that you can see the real me, you know? I mean, do you have any idea how hard it is to be stuck in a body like this? I go from being me to suddenly having to be short, with this _stupid_ hair, and these _huge_ hips… I feel like a blimp sometimes!"

He was about to open his mouth in astonishment and protest, asking if she had taken a good look in a mirror lately, when Carol's blue eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh, wait! Come here, I have something to show you."

She scampered over to the desk on her side of the room and picked up a picture frame that Remy hadn't noticed ever being there before. After she handed it to him, his eyes scoured it – there was a tall, willowy girl waving at the camera, her blue eyes twinkling and her long blonde hair blowing elegantly in the wind. "Carol… Is dis de real y'?"

"Yup, that's me," she said proudly, somehow managing to sound wistful at the same time.

"Wow… Den I wasn't wrong earlier, when I said y' were beautiful," he murmured. Her old self certainly had been, there was no doubt about that – at least, in the physical sense. Nevertheless, he thought to himself, there was still no comparison to Rogue.

Now the other girl blushed, looking at him coquettishly. "You really think so?" she asked modestly, although he fully knew she was all too aware of her good looks.

"Definitely," Remy had to nod, although on the inside he was filled with self-deprecating laughter at his recent realization – he had managed to stick himself with yet another clinging and scheming blue-eyed blonde! It seemed more and more like he had left Belladonna back in New Orleans only to have found a carbon copy of her up north in New York. Vaguely, he wondered if they had been twins separated at birth…

"Well, thanks!" Carol beamed happily, setting the picture in its spot once more. "It's nice to know that I've still got it!"

She turned around and sashayed back to the bed, missing the thief rolling his eyes at her comment. She plopped down on the pillows and grabbed a bottle of magenta nail polish from the bedside table, slowing lifting out the brush and wiping the excess liquid on the rim of the bottle.

"So, _belle_, huh?" she continued conversationally as she began to paint her thumbnail. "I like that, it sounds nice. Any other cute names you want to try out?"

The Cajun was particularly keen on his reasoning behind that specific name, but then an idea sprang to mind and he smirked. "Well, I could call y' _mon__ chou_," he began slowly.

"Shoe?" she parroted awkwardly. "What's that mean?"

"Sweetie, o' sweetheart," he replied. "O' how about _ma fleur_? Dat means my flower. O' y' can put dem t'get'er, an' dat gives y' –"

"_Chou-fleur_?" she interrupted him enthusiastically, waving newly-lacquered nails in the air while butchering the French pronunciation. "Lemme guess, it means sweet flower, right? Aww, that's adorable!"

Remy could only grin, quietly snickering to himself, pleased that she had fallen for his ploy. There was no need to inform her that _chou__-fleur_ actually meant 'cauliflower'… He wouldn't be averse to addressing her as such if she insisted upon it, the only issue would be trying not to break out into laughter every time he said it.

"I wouldn't mind you calling me that," she continued, moving on to paint her dominant hand. The task took much more care when using her left hand, so she bent her head and focused as she prattled on. "But I think I like _belle_ the best. You know, it reminds me of 'Beauty and the Beast', actually! I've always loved that movie…"

"Well, den _belle_ it is," he nodded, agreeing with her decision.

"Great," she murmured, scrunching up her brow in concentration as she painted her index finger. "So then, what are we going to do today?"

"Didn't y' say y' wanted t' go shoppin'?" he reminded her. It wasn't that he was particularly enthused about the idea, but at least there would be plenty of distractions at the mall – namely, countless opportunities for him to pickpocket. It would do no good for his skills to get rusty.

"Oh, right!" she nodded, but then gestured back to her wet nails. "Can we just wait until I'm done here though?"

"Not a problem," he consented, pulling out Rogue's desk chair and sitting down on it, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned towards Carol. "Was hopin' we could talk about somet'in' anyways."

"Sure," she replied distractedly, all her attention on giving herself a manicure. "What about?"

"Well… About y' kissin' me," he said straightforwardly. He didn't feel like beating around the bush anymore.

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother to glance up from her work. "What about it? Wanna try again?"

"_Non_… I mean, yes, but… No, dat wasn't what I meant," he stumbled over his words. "I just wanted t' know how y' did it."

Remy's keen eyes noticed the girl stiffen almost imperceptibly, but she kept her voice casual. "I would've thought you'd know how – after all, you were there to enjoy it, weren't you? I stepped up nice and close, my lips met yours… You know how it went, hon."

"Dat's not what I'm askin'," he clarified, and attempted to keep his voice from sounding accusatory. "I was wonderin' how is it dat y' can kiss me when Rogue can't."

She finally stopped painting her nails and glared sharply up at him. "What's that supposed to mean? That you've _tried_ to kiss Rogue?"

"No," he sighed in exasperation, running his hand through his hair. "Dat came out wrong, I should've worded it differently… How is it dat y' can control her powers when she can't?"

Carol frowned. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious, dat's all," he shrugged nonchalantly. When she stared at him sceptically, he elaborated. "What? Can y' blame me f'r wantin' t' know why y' don't absorb de people y' touch when y'r ot'er half does?"

"Other half?" she echoed in disgust, and then scoffed. "Oh, please!"

Remy grimaced, and decided he would need to pull out the big guns. Throwing a hurt look on his face, he pouted. "Why can't y' tell me, _belle_? Y' don't trust me?"

Her countenance softened immediately. "Of course I do!" she insisted.

"Den confide in me! Please?"

"There's not much to tell," she finally replied, but not meeting his eyes. "I don't really know how I can control Rogue's powers… I just can."

Her body was tensed, her eyes were nervously darting back and forth, she couldn't even look at him – it didn't take a genius to work out that she wasn't being completely truthful, so he continued to gently pry her for the information he knew she was guarding. "How'd y' find out den?"

"Huh?"

"How'd y' learn dat y' could touch? Y' didn't just go 'round an' try t' absorb people, did y'?" he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I didn't know at first," she began to explain, appearing to get more comfortable, looking back to him once again. "Then one day I was at the mall, and there was a huge sale on – you know how women can get at a sale, pushing and shoving others out of the way… Well, somebody bumped into me and my sleeve got pushed up, and they touched my skin. I didn't really know what to expect, since up to that point I'd been really careful not to use her powers – I didn't want _another_ person stuck in here with us," she grumbled. "But then nothing happened! I thought it was a fluke at first, but then somebody brushed by me again, and there was still nothing."

The Cajun slowly nodded to himself. She had been telling the truth about that part at least, of that much he was certain… But still, there had to be more to it than that. How was it possible? "Do y' know _why_ y' can control it?" he queried, tilting forward in anticipation.

She pursed her lips. "Nope," she responded simply, returning her attention to coating the nail of her middle finger with the pink polish.

"Y' sure?"

"Excuse me?" Carol asked incredulously, her eyes narrowing. "I said so, didn't I? What, you don't believe me?"

'_Non_, o' course not,' he thought, but couldn't utter those words. Instead, he spoke, "Sorry, _belle_. Just checkin', dat's all… Only wanted t' know a bit mo' about de inner workin's o' Carol Danvers."

"I don't like to talk about this," she groused, scowling. "It's a pretty touchy subject."

"I imagine it would be, but can y' fault dis Cajun f'r bein' curious about y'?" he coaxed her. "Dere's just so much about y', an' dis whole situation, dat I still don't know… Don't y' want t' talk t' somebody about it, get it all off y'r chest?"

"Maybe…." she sighed sullenly. "It is kind of hard to keep it all to myself sometimes…"

"Like hidin' de fact dat y' can control Rogue's powers?" he led her on. "Why do y' do dat?"

Putting the brush back in the tiny bottle and screwing on the lid, she eyed the young man warily. "Well, it's not like I _want_ to hide it… I'd love to ditch all the dumb gloves and bad outfits and get into some revealing clothes again!"

"So why don't y', den?"

"As annoying as the lack of good fashion choices is, it's better this way. If anybody knew that I could touch then they'd just be after me to tell Rogue, and then she'd be begging me to show her how to control it," Carol complained, and Remy's eyes widened at the level of bitterness in her voice.

Cautiously, he asked, "But why would it be so bad t' help her?"

"What, are you on her side or something?" she demanded suspiciously.

"I didn't know dere were any sides t' dis," he countered carefully.

"Well, there are, and you're supposed to be on mine!" she screeched.

"Carol, I'm sorry, I didn't want t' upset y'," he insisted, raising his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Please, calm down, it was just a simple question! Dere don't have t' be sides to it. What would be so bad about Rogue knowin'? Doesn't she have dat right? If she learns dat y' got control, maybe it'll give her hope dat she can learn it too…"

The girl shot up, her blue eyes blazing. "Give her hope? Why would I want to help the bitch that killed me and got me stuck in her body?" she shrieked, squeezing the bottle of nail polish in her hand so firmly that it shattered, magenta liquid dripping from her fingers like blood, down on to the carpet in thick drops. She didn't even notice, but kept yelling. "She doesn't deserve to have control after what she did to me! In fact, the only way I'd consider letting her know about my control is to taunt her about it, since I just _love_ the fact that I can touch when she can't!"

Remy could only lean as far back in the chair as he could go, gaping. Her hostility floored him – he had never seen this ugly, vengeful side of her before. Some animosity towards Rogue had previously shone through, of course, but never anything to this extent. A swell of disgust manifested itself in him, and then he felt a sense of pity for Rogue, having to share her body with this girl. He didn't know how to reply to her rant, so a tense silence reigned until Carol suddenly gasped.

Finally becoming aware of the broken bottle in her hand, she dropped it and took a step back, putting her other hand to her forehead. "Oh my God," she muttered, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have said that…"

"Do y' really feel dat way?" he quizzed her hesitantly. All that resentment must have been building up inside of her for months, ever since the incident, always bubbling below the surface and just waiting for a chance to erupt…

"I'm so sorry!" she cried anxiously, dropping down onto the bed and wringing her hands nervously. He was aware that she hadn't answered his question, but she pressed on, trying to explain away her outburst. "I can't believe I blurted all that out… I didn't mean any of it, honest!"

"_Non_?" he raised an eyebrow wryly. He didn't believe her – the girl wasn't the most gifted of actresses.

"Of course not," she gushed. "Rogue's not my favourite person, but I wouldn't do that! I'm just… concerned, that's all. I don't want to give her false hope or anything about controlling her powers, or tell her that I could help her when I can't – like I said, I'm not even sure how I did it!"

The thief was about to open his mouth to dispute her rationalization, to say that this was something that Rogue had to know, but then Carol's words sunk in. Rogue being informed about Carol's control would only hurt her – after everything that Carol had put her through, for her to be able to instantaneously control the powers she could get no grasp of? Not to mention that even if she did find out, Carol still couldn't (or, as Remy suspected, simply _wouldn't_) give her any solid direction regarding them. And furthermore, how on earth was he going to break the news to Rogue in the first place? She would ask him how he had found out, and then what would he tell her? That the girl thought he was her boyfriend, and had kissed him?

He swore at himself, cursing the mess that he was in – the mess he had gotten _himself_ into. He didn't like this one bit. He had a horrible feeling that it would all come back around to bite him in the ass… But no, it was more than self-preservation that he was worried about. There was also this horrible sinking feeling deep in the pit of his stomach…

Guilt. He was feeling guilty. He felt bad about keeping something that would mean so much to Rogue a secret…

He sighed heavily, and Carol heard him. "Are you okay?"

Remy shook his head. Revealing this to Rogue wouldn't be a good idea, and even if he could, there was nothing he would be able to do about it currently. "I'm fine," he said quickly. "An' y'? Y' didn't cut y'rself, did y'?"

"No," she laughed distractedly, holding up her hand – there was no blood mixing in with the rest of the magenta mess covering it. "Invulnerability, remember?"

"Right," he nodded distractedly, then stood from his seat. He felt a great urge to leave, to get away from Carol for at least a moment. A breath of fresh air, of anything other than the nauseating aroma of nail polish and deceitfulness was needed. "I'll go get a towel or somet'in' t' clean dat mess up, okay?"

"That'd be great," Carol agreed, relaxing slightly after she took in the fact that Remy didn't appear to hold her flare-up against her. "I can't believe I lost control like that… I'm so sorry. I guess this wasn't the pleasant conversation you were expecting when you came in, right?"

"Not exactly." He couldn't help but quirk the corner of his mouth at that comment. No, it certainly wasn't what he had envisioned, but it was enlightening nonetheless.

"And jeez, I broke my favourite colour!" she continued, holding her sticky hand out in disgust. "Do you mind waiting a bit longer until we go out? I need to repaint my nails in a different shade now."

He stepped into the adjoining bathroom as she spoke those words, so there was no need to cover up the rolling of his eyes. "Not a problem," he called back as he reached for a washcloth. Anything that would put off their excursion would be welcomed by him.

Stepping back into the bedroom, he lightly tossed the small towel to the girl and then headed towards the door. "Take yo' time, _belle_. I t'ink I'll take a walk outside, y' can find me when y're ready."

"Sure," she consented, starting to mop up the various pink puddles. "I'll be quick."

He nodded, knowing that meant he would probably have an hour or so to himself, and for that he was thankful. The Cajun was just about to step over the threshold when he heard Carol call his name – he grimaced, but then turned with a tolerant smile on his face.

"You wouldn't happen to be going out for a smoke, would you?" she asked eagerly. "I could really use a stress reliever right about now."

"_Desolé__, belle_," he told her, shaking his head in the negative but not feeling very apologetic at all. With a final glance at her disappointed expression, he left the room surprisingly satisfied, a smirk on his face. "I quit."

* * *

Hmm, so is anybody still liking Carol after all this? Yeah, I didn't think so…

**Next chapter** – Rogue's back! And she has an interesting chat, and we learn a bit more about the psyches in her mind…

My name is ishandahalf, and I'm a reviewaholic… but I can stop at any time, really! But why bother even testing that hypothesis? Drop me a line, pretty please!

Toodles,

– ish –


	14. Deny

**Disclaimer:** They aren't my puppets, I'm simply pulling their strings.

**A/N:** Well, sorry it's been a while, it took a bit to readjust to the school groove once again. And unfortunately, my profs all seem to think that assigning tons of work is the 'cool' thing to do, so finding time to write in between all that may be difficult. So I apologize ahead of time if chapters might be a bit slow coming out from now on! But rest assured, they'll pop up _eventually_. As for my fabulous reviewers…

The Rogue Cajun, Randirogue (glad to see you back on the review board!), flowerperson, Sweety8587, cool-chick-rae, TheDreamerLady, simba317, heartsyhawk, coldqueen (thanks for reviewing a bunch of my stuff, much appreciated!) CloeyMarie, Minx, darkstorm5000, Shira's Song (how do you know it isn't already being arranged? Bwa ha ha…), missy42 (x2!), gabrielle myka, Freak87, enchantedlight, Rogue14, naemis, RogueBHS (I love your work, I'm flattered that you'd review mine!), Colossus, wildcardrose, TheRealMai, & IvyZoe (aww, after all the crap you've been through, my meagre little fic makes you smile? That's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me!): Thank you all immensely for your reviews. I'm sorry I couldn't do my usual longer responses, it doesn't mean I don't care! It's just that I already felt guilty about having this take a while – I didn't want it to be even longer! Plus, you'd all rather have a new chapter, right? Of course.

So, speaking of, here it is. Enjoy!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 14 – Deny**

**_August 2005_**

Rogue barely had time to sit up in her bed and stretch, slowly adjusting to being back in control of her body once more, when there came a knock at the door. Knowing instantly from the pattern of perky tapping that the visitor was Kitty, she cleared her throat and called in a hoarse morning voice, "Come in!"

Squinting through her bleary eyes, she could make out the younger girl phasing inside the room. "Hi!" she cried joyously, bouncing over and landing on the bed.

"Hey," the Southerner replied in a quieter tone – not from lack of enthusiasm, but from the muddled state of mind that came after just waking up. "How are yah? An' where's Kurt?" She expected her other usual visitor to bamf in any moment now, no doubt managing to land uncomfortably on top of her – probably on purpose, although he would always deny it.

"Oh, well, last night Sam bet that he couldn't eat fifteen Gut Bombs – which he did, of course, but now I think he's in a burger coma," Kitty rolled her eyes. "And I'm fine. Besides, I should be asking _you_ how you are!"

"Why wouldn't Ah be fine?" Rogue wondered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and sitting up a bit straighter. "Ah was in mah mind fo' a month, it's not like anythin' can physically hurt me in there. All there is fo' me ta do is think."

The other mutant frowned. "You say that like it isn't dangerous. Besides, I always worry that one time Carol just won't let you switch back, or something," she confessed worriedly. "It's not like she hasn't tried it before…"

"Don't worry, Kit," Rogue reassured her, reaching over to her beside table and pulling out a pair of gloves she kept inside. Tugging them on, she patted Kitty's bare hand comfortingly. "That didn't do her any good, remember? The Prof says that Ah have th' most mental influence over mah body, she couldn't take control over it forevah."

"I know, but you know what happened when she tried! It was so scary, having you there one minute, and her the very next…"

The goth grimaced, remembering the tug-of-war situation. None of it could be dredged up with crystal clarity, but she distinctly recalled the awful feeling of being in control one instant, and then feeling as though she was being sucked through some sort of vacuum a second later when Carol forced herself to the forefront. "Yeah, Ah definitely don't wanna go through that again… But Ah doubt Carol's stupid enough ta try it. We'd just be locked in another stalemate, an' then neither of us would win."

"I know that, but I still wouldn't put it past her," Kitty huffed, crossing her arms.

Rogue had to smile at her friend's loyalty – it seemed she was determined to be forever suspicious of the other girl. Although sometimes she felt it was deserved and at other times felt it was petty, it was nevertheless appreciated. "Thanks Kit. Ah feel better knowin' that yah're keepin' an eye on things out here."

"Yup, that's me, totally looking out for you and your interests!" she chirped.

"Mah interests?" Rogue repeated curiously, a sinking feeling in her gut warning her that she probably didn't want to know what was being referred to.

"That's right…. Well, really just one interest, to be specific," the girl elaborated, yet without managing to reveal any information whatsoever. Then she continued on in a manner that attempted to be nonchalant, but of course gave her true meaning away. "You know, Remy was being a lot grumpier lately, I think he's been missing you…"

"Remy is not an interest o' mine!" Rogue exclaimed, suddenly jolted wide awake. "We're friends, that's it. An' besides, Ah bet he's only been grumpy 'cause he's been cravin' cigarettes."

"He quit smoking?"

"Yup," she stated casually, but enjoyed Kitty's expression of surprise – it was probably the same one she herself had worn when he had unexpectedly agreed to dropping the vice.

"Why?"

"Well, Ah suggested it…" When the brunette's eyes lit up in excitement, the other mutant knew instantly that it had been the wrong thing to say. Who knew what conclusions she would jump to now?

"Really!" Shadowcat shrieked, pouncing on the piece of information.

Rogue could clearly envision the cogs in her mind turning, and sought to head her off before she could articulate any of the crazy ideas she would most likely churn out. "Don't read too much into it, Kit, like yah always do. Ah bet he was probably thinkin' o' doin' it anyway, it's not like he'd do it just fo' me."

"You don't think so?" she pouted, but narrowed her blue eyes shrewdly in a way that conveyed that she thought the exact opposite.

"No, Ah don't."

"Well, whatever." The girl brushed off the Southerner's warning tone like nobody else could, by now well accustomed to her threatening manner – an ability Rogue sometimes lamented, since it often forced her into conversations she would rather not partake in. "I still don't think his attitude was because of nic fits, I think it was Carol – he was fine the rest of the time, he just got really annoyed whenever she was around. She still seems to be mooning over him, by the way – but don't worry, the few times I've seen them together he didn't seem too enthused about it."

"Why would Ah worry about that?" Rogue asked indifferently, trying to ignore the slight lurch in her stomach. Where had that come from?

"It doesn't bug you that your body is being thrown at him?" Kitty wondered.

"Thrown at him?" she echoed, unable to suppress the tinge of uneasiness colouring her tone. "Jeez, just how obsessed with him is she?"

The other mutant waved the comment away. "That was just an exaggeration. She's not _literally_ throwing herself at him, but I bet she would if she could, the way she looks at him. So aren't you worried? She does seem like kind of a… Uh, I mean, her morals may be questionable…"

"Just say it, Kit-Kat, Ah know yah want ta," she smirked.

"Oh, all right! She seems like a slut!"

"Yeah, Ah got that vibe too," Rogue snickered. "But yah said it – she would if she could, but she _can't_. Remember mah powers? As much as Ah hate 'em, Ah guess they're handy here. This might sound kinda cruel, but Ah don't think Ah would've offered ta share mah body if Carol could just run amok in it."

Kitty shuddered. "Oh my God, I couldn't even, like, imagine how creepy that would be!"

"Well, we don't have ta. Th' only thing Ah have ta fret about is Remy bein' thrown off by his friend's body makin' eyes at him, but frankly, that'd be pretty darn amusin' ta see," she chuckled, wondering how much it was confusing him.

"Yeah, I think he's been thrown off a lot – mainly because he wishes it was really _you_ acting like that," Kitty grinned, returning to the previous subject once again. Her tenacity belied her name, since she insistently clung to topics she thought vital like a hungry dog did a bone.

"Why th' heck are we talkin' about this!" the goth cried. She should have known that it would be impossible to be friends with a flirt like Remy Lebeau without anybody suspecting that something more was going on between them. "Why don't we talk about _your_ interest?"

The younger girl paid no heed to the bait, instead smiling slyly and musing, "You know, since you didn't deny it, that wording could imply that Remy really _is_ your interest…"

Reaching behind her and grabbing a pillow, Rogue threw it directly at Kitty's head with the power of Carol's super strength behind it. Much to her chagrin, the other mutant simply phased through it without so much as a blink, remaining where she was with that damned little grin on her face – the one that said she knew something and wasn't leaving until it was confirmed. Well, Rogue wasn't about to give her the satisfaction! "An' why should Ah listen ta romantic recommendations from a gal that's too chicken ta even talk ta her crush?" she scoffed scornfully.

"Hey, that's not true! I'll have you know that I went out for dinner with Piotr last week!" the Chicagoan protested indignantly.

Rogue simply arched an eyebrow in scepticism.

"Okay, fine, so technically it was a team outing, but I sat next to him, and asked him to pass the salt even though Scott was sitting closer!" she blurted out, confessing.

"Jeez, yah two have been dancin' around each other fo' months!" the green-eyed girl exclaimed, letting herself fall backwards onto her remaining pillows in exasperation. It was an unlikely roll reversal, and it wasn't as if she had any personal experience to back her words up, but her friend definitely needed some guidance in the romance department. "That's th' trouble when shy people like each other… It's so obvious that yah like him an' that he likes yah back, but since he's clearly too timid ta make a move, yah'll have ta be th' one ta do it!"

"Oh really?" The girl's voice now rang with poorly concealed glee as she repeated the Southerner's earlier words. "And why should I listen to romantic recommendations from a girl that's too chicken to even admit she has a crush?"

Rogue propped herself up with her arms to achieve a better vantage point from which to glare at Kitty. "Excuse me?"

"That's the problem when stubborn people like each other… You two have been dancing around each other for months! It's so obvious that you like him and he likes you…" she continued to parrot in amusement.

"Yah better not be implyin' what Ah think yah're implyin'!" It was obvious that the lack of a real relationship with Piotr had resulted in the young girl seeing romance where none dwelled… Her and Remy were friends, that was all. It had taken them a long time to finally reach that point, and she was satisfied with it. In fact, his friendship had become surprisingly dear to her – he really did provide good company, something she hadn't really noticed until he had been off on that mission for the final week or so of her previous month.

"You know, you really need to take your own advice, Rogue!"

"Why are we back ta talkin' about this again?" she groaned.

"Because Remy likes you!" Kitty insisted.

"Katherine Anne Pryde, we've been over this!" Rogue hollered, bringing out the dreaded full name usage in hopes it would prove her seriousness and annoyance. "We're just friends – nothin' more." What else could they be? After all, Remy was a ladies' man, a playboy, a heartbreaker… He would never truly be interested in the kind of meaningful relationship she might maybe, _possibly_ want one day – although certainly not with him!

"But do you _want_ to be more?" she grilled her. An image of being locked in a police station's witness interview room with a bright light aimed at her suddenly flashed through Rogue's mind – and there was Kitty, leaning across the table, interrogating her. It would certainly be a successful line of work for the younger girl, who would no doubt be able to squeeze blood from a stone.

Still, despite the other girl's obstinacy, Rogue was a hundred times more stubborn – and proud of it! – so she instantly rebutted. "Of course not!" Even though lately he had been so much nicer, and fun to be with, and he made her laugh… Those were good qualities, she had to admit – exactly what she would look for in a relationship. _If_ she were looking, that is. Which she wasn't.

"Woah, why so quick to deny it? Remy's like, a total catch, you know. He's funny, he's sweet, he's smart, and you _cannot_ tell me that he's not incredibly sexy!" she listed off his traits like an announcer on a shopping network, eagerly informing the audience of a fabulous limited-time offer.

"Okay, fine, he is all those things," she acknowledged aloud – it would do no good to disagree with those obvious truths, since she would only be branded a liar and then not be taken seriously with whatever else she said. "But he's also arrogant and annoying and a total player!"

"Well, he _was_. I don't think I've seen him go out with another girl since you two have met, have you? And he's more tolerable now, isn't he? Or else you wouldn't be friends with him!" Kitty pointed out.

"Seriously, Kitty, why are we even talkin' about this?" the goth sighed, quickly growing weary, the depressing thoughts that constantly floated around in the back of her mind now moving front and centre. "Even if Ah _did_ want more than friendship, which Ah'm not admittin' to, it wouldn't work anyways!"

"Oh, here we go," Kitty grumbled, no doubt aware of what was coming next.

Rogue ignored her and carried on. She knew she had repeated it many times, but sometimes people needed to hear things over and over again before they sunk in. "There are too many obstacles – as if mah powers weren't enough of a relationship-killer, there's Carol too."

"We both know the Carol thing could be taken care of –"

The Southerner cut her off before she could even finish the sentence, because she knew full well where the conversation was headed. Apparently Kitty was of the same mind, believing that certain points needed to be reiterated until they were absorbed. "We've been over this befo', Kit. Ah just couldn't have th' Prof lock Carol away permanently –"

"But she's making your life so much harder than it has to be!" the younger girl protested indignantly.

Maybe it was the fact that her objection was so naïve – if only it were that simple! – but it caused something inside Rogue to snap. Jumping to her feet to pace in front of the bed, waving her heads angrily in the air, she shouted, "Ah know that! Do yah think Ah _like_ only livin' half mah life? Do yah think Ah _like_ comin' back to mah body an' always thinkin' it's th' wrong month, or feelin' like an outsider when everybody talks about stuff that happened while Ah was gone?"

"So then do something about it!" Kitty retorted without so much as a blink at Rogue's ranting and raving, as if she had been expecting such an outburst for quite some time. "You don't deserve any of this, Rogue, you know that!"

"Maybe not, but neither does Carol – she was an innocent in all this! But yah know what?" she then laughed bitterly. "Ah'd just _love_ to lock her away, 'cause Ah can't stand her any more than yah can. Ah hate her fo' callin' me a murderer when Ah didn't mean fo' any of it ta happen, an' fo' tryin' ta steal mah body away when Ah would've offered ta share anyway, an' as irrational as it is, even fo' lettin' herself get captured by th' lab that did this ta us! But as much as Ah hate her, Ah hate mahself more fo' thinkin' so badly o' her, and Ah know Ah'd hate mahself even more than all that fo' killin' her all over again."

Her friend sat mutely throughout the other girls angry tirade, simply watching as she finally expelled all the negative emotions she had been bottling up for ages, and then as she dropped back down onto her bed and buried her face in her hands. Finally, Kitty broke the silence with a quiet but strong voice. "Rogue… You may think you're being good and kind and selfless, and you _were_ at first, but now I think your nobility has crossed the line over into foolishness! You're ruining your life for somebody that doesn't even appreciate it! You may feel the need to atone for what happened, but you _don't_ – it wasn't your fault, you don't need to punish yourself!"

"She's dead because o' me – Ah think that qualifies as mah fault, doesn't it?" the Southerner muttered without lifting her head.

"But –"

"No, Kit, please don't argue with me on this. Ah made a choice, an' Ah can't just go back on th' deal now. Ah killed her. An' as much as Ah'd love mah own life back, mah _whole_ life, Ah couldn't live with any more guilt over killin' her again." The fact that a part of her _wanted_ to go through with reneging on her deal scared her even more, so she didn't express that.

Kitty frowned severely, shaking her head. "You know, I really feel the need to slap you silly sometimes."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Rogue couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from twitching up into an imperceptible smile. "Yah know, Ah'll admit that Ah probably need it sometimes… But invulnerability, remember? It wouldn't do much good."

Having gone from waking up straight into an intense, emotional discussion, Rogue hadn't noticed that she was in Carol's skimpy little silk pyjama set. It only came to her attention when Kitty pulled her blanket over her shoulders so that she could safely lean in and hug her. Her first thought was a bitter one, that she couldn't even partake in such a simple action without taking precautions, but then her friend's gesture brought the appropriate comfort.

"I'm sorry I upset you, I honestly didn't mean to," the other mutant apologized, lightly squeezing her in her arms. "It's just that I hate seeing you beat yourself up over this, like you _always_ do. It's no reason to stop yourself from fully living the part of your life you still have control over!"

"Isn't it?" Rogue asked wryly, with a shrug that ended Kitty's consoling embrace.

"Of course not! If you want a relationship, you should go for it!" she enthused. "I'm not saying it would be easy, but –"

"Ah didn't even say Ah _wanted_ a relationship!" the Southerner cried, interrupting her before she could get carried away. No matter what she said, they always seemed to come back around to the same old tired topic.

"Nobody wants to be alone, Rogue," was all that Kitty whispered, with the utmost seriousness.

Her bright blue eyes pierced Rogue's green ones, as if they were looking deep within her. She grudgingly had to admit that the other girl had her pegged… She was right, nobody wanted to be alone – but sometimes the circumstances were forced upon them, and Rogue had accepted that long ago.

"Well, Ah don't have much of a choice in th' matter, do I?" she sighed resignedly. "Even if Ah didn't have another gal takin' over mah body every other month, there's still th' issue o' mah powers. A man would have to have th' patience of a saint ta start somethin' with a gal that's only around half th' time, an' when she is, she still can't touch – an' Remy definitely doesn't fit that description. Believe me, Ah'm just not what he's lookin' fo'."

"Oh, so you've given some thought to the kind of girl he would like then?" came the sly response.

"What? No! That's not what Ah meant and yah know it!"

"You know, if you keep chanting that mantra of yours long enough, maybe you'll even start to believe it," Kitty stated composedly, as calmly as if she were commenting on the weather instead of deliberately saying something that could incur the wrath of Rogue.

"What's that supposed ta mean?" the goth questioned defensively, crossing her arms in front of her.

"It means I wish you'd stop making excuses! I swear, if you could, I think you'd probably raise a flashing neon sign above you saying 'Danger, danger, back off now'! You're always pushing people away because you're afraid that getting close to somebody means you might hurt them!" the other mutant shouted, finally erupting with emotions much like her friend had done mere moments before.

Rogue sat still, expressionless for a long while. It wasn't like Kitty to simply blow up like that – whenever her countenance changed from her typically sweet demeanour to something more irritated and angry then you knew she was serious, that she meant business. So she sat there, taking it all in, until Kitty finally began fidgeting, wondering if she had finally pushed hard enough to create a rift between them.

She wanted to speak, to reassure her that it would take more than simply voicing the truth to break their bond, but it was hard. Walking over to the window and glancing out over the lush green yard, Rogue quietly admitted, "Yah know… Ah think Ah'm a bit more selfish than that."

"What?" Kitty started, at first relieved that she wasn't being screamed at. Then the words sunk in, and she became confused. "How so?"

"Ah think Ah'm more afraid o' bein' hurt than o' hurtin' someone else," she confessed hoarsely, unable to tear her gaze away to face her friend.

"What do you mean?" came the soft, gentle reply.

"Ah'm used to protecin' people from mah powers by now… Ah'm more worried about lettin' someone in an' startin' ta care too much, because with mah situation, Ah seriously doubt anybody would stick around fo' long – an' don't argue with that, 'cause Ah think yah know it's true," she explained, turning to stare Kitty directly in the eyes, daring her to contradict that fact. Even with her ridiculously romantic sensibilities, Rogue doubted very much that she could honestly deny the accuracy of the statement.

"I see your point, I really do…" Kitty grudgingly acknowledged, as if it physically pained her to concede a point, but then she enthusiastically continued. "Your situation does seem bleak, but I think you're looking at it too seriously! Even _without_ your powers you wouldn't have any guarantees. We're teenagers, Rogue, most of our relationships are brief! Did you think that when I dated Lance I was under the impression that we'd last forever?"

Rogue blinked. "So are yah, th' eternal romantic, tellin' me that yah enter relationships with such pessimism? That's somethin' Ah'd expect from me, but not from yah!"

"What's that you're always telling me? It's not pessimism, it's realism," she retorted. "And I obviously don't date with the intention of counting down the days until the relationship ends, but I just keep in mind that if things don't work out, it's natural. Dating is a risk, I suppose, but if you're going to find Mr. Right, then it's one you'll have to take!"

"Yah know, Ah never thought Ah'd hear such practicality from a starry-eyed idealist such as yo'self," Rogue affectionately teased, finally stepping back towards the bed. "What happened to all yo' notions o' love at first sight an' soul mates an' such?"

"Well, I'm not saying that can't ever happen…" Kitty amended pensively. "They're the lucky ones, I suppose. I mean, look at Scott and Jean – I'll bet you anything they'll last forever."

"Well, ain't that just dandy." Rogue rolled her eyes as she plopped down on to the mattress. "So yah're sayin' that Ah should go on a few dates an' not care about mah powers, since even without 'em Ah'd probably get dumped eventually anyway?"

"Um, that sounds sorta callous the way you said it," the younger girl giggled sheepishly. "But basically, yeah… Why approach it as if things would last forever if only it weren't for your powers? Instead, think about the fact that going out with a guy doesn't mean you'll marry him, so your powers don't really matter – just go on a few dates and have fun! You deserve to experience what everybody else does."

The untouchable mutant couldn't help but listen with interest at what her friend was saying. In some odd way, it almost made a bizarre sort of sense… An irksome voice in her mind began to protest immediately, saying that it was unsafe, that her powers were too dangerous – she wanted to agree, but it was so tempting! To try and gain that modicum of normalcy that everyone else had…

She was about to swallow her pride, nod her head and confess that _maybe_ it was an idea that merited further consideration when Kitty had to open her mouth to shrewdly add, "But I don't know, I don't think you have to worry about whatever you start with Remy ending too soon – have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Who said anythin' about going on dates with Remy?" Rogue shrieked, nearly falling off the bed. A date with Remy? That would never happen!

"That's who we're talking about!" Kitty exclaimed in vexation, as if the girl was unable to comprehend something as simple as one plus one equalling two. "And answer my question!"

She sighed, knowing that Kitty was instead dead set on a different equation – one that stated 'Remy plus Rogue equals amorous bliss', no matter how strenuously Rogue insisted that the factors simply didn't add up. "No, Ah haven't noticed th' way he looks at me."

"I don't think you've _let_ yourself notice."

"…No, Ah guess Ah haven't. But that still doesn't mean he looks at me differently than at anybody else."

"Maybe you should look closer, and then you'll see that he does."

Rogue sighed again, but this time it was more in playfulness as she flopped down across her sheets. "Yah know, yah're th' only one who's got enough guts to lecture me like this," she told her with a sort of admiration.

"That's because I can just phase through you if you decide to pound me!" Kitty joked, sitting up straighter and looking proud of herself.

Both of them knew that there was more to it than what was spoken, but it was all understood. "Thanks, Kit," Rogue smiled, deciding to put a voice to some of the subtext. "Ah appreciate yo' concern, Ah really do."

"I know. And I'm really sorry if I upset you, Rogue… I'm only trying to help – you know that, right?"

She nodded. "O' course. …But Ah think Ah've reached mah quota of emotional conversations fo' th' whole month."

"Then I guess that's my cue," the other girl laughed, standing up. "You should get dressed and go eat something then. Oh, do me a favour?"

"What?"

"Have a _huge_ breakfast, okay?"

"Why?" Rogue wondered with a laugh.

"Because I think Carol's been dieting again – it'd make my day if you make all her hard work go down the drain!"

"Consider it done," she agreed with a chuckle as her stomach began to rumble. Up until now she hadn't noticed how hungry she was. "Ah'll see yah later, okay?"

"Yup!" she waved, heading out the door. A second later, however, her head phased back through and called out, "Oh! And you have to promise to at least think about everything I said to you!"

"Ah promise," she acquiesced with a sigh, for she had been half-hoping that Kitty would forget to secure that promise. But over the next few minutes, as Rogue showered and dressed and got ready to face the day, she actually did reflect on the things her friend had mentioned. In fact, she gave everything much more consideration than she thought she would…

- X -

In the kitchen, Remy was preparing his breakfast. He was scrambling too many eggs and frying too much bacon to feed just one person, but he could always share with one of his team mates. Of course, he was hoping that it would be one team mate in particular.

Moments later, when the meat was crispy, just as he liked it, she entered. "Rogue?" he queried cautiously, aware that he was insanely eager for it to really be her.

"O' course it's me, who else would it be? No, wait, that's a stupid question…" she chastised herself, and he let out a grin at hearing her Mississippian twang once again.

"Just wanted t' be sure – I kept callin' Carol by y'r name, she wasn't too happy wit' me 'bout dat," he let slip. Suddenly he wasn't so sure he should have divulged that, so he kept his eyes downcast, staring at the plates he began divvying the food on to.

There was a beat before Rogue spoke again. "No, Ah imagine she wouldn't be…" she said in a strange tone, but then it became her familiar teasing one. "So what, does that mean yah missed me?"

"How could I not?" he laughed, handing her a plate.

She accepted it with a smile, and the pair walked over to the table. "Well, that's nice ta know."

"I t'ink dis is de part where y' reciprocate...?" he prodded her hopefully, before lifting a fork to his mouth. His omelette was delicious, he thought with satisfaction – and he was even more pleased when Rogue began devouring her half like it was the best thing she had ever tasted. Well, it probably was – after himself, that is. No, wait – Carol had kissed him, not her. Damn, he didn't want to get back to all those thoughts again…

The Cajun was distracted from his mind wandering off into dangerous and confusing territory by the girl asking with faux sweetness, "Now why would Ah want ta do a thing like that?"

"Aww, c'mon _chère_, y' know y' missed me!"

She rolled her eyes. "Well, maybe just a _bit_," she admitted with a sigh, but stressed the miniscule amount. "After all, Ah don't have yah ta keep me company in mah head."

"An' here I t'ought dat I'd be runin' t'rough y'r t'oughts non-stop," he pouted.

"That's not what Ah meant!" she protested, nearly choking on her food in the process.

Remy winced, but when she recovered he said, "Den I'm afraid y'll have t' explain." If she wasn't constantly thinking about him, like he seemed to be doing in regards to her, then what had she meant? He knew he should have probably been used to it by now, but his fellow Southerner's life was full of mystery.

"Yah sure yo' up fo' some crazy psycho-babble first thing in th' mornin'?" she asked nonchalantly, as if the strange occurrences in her life were completely normal. But then, she was probably used to all of it by now, he mused.

"Dis Cajun's ready f'r anyt'in', y' know dat! Besides, I could ask y' de same question."

"Ah've already started mah day off discussin' mah situation – Ah don't think this little chat could go any worse than that one did," she chuckled wryly, and he noted a slight blush grace her cheeks.

"Well, y're just makin' dis poor t'ief curiouser an' curiouser," he informed her. "What was dat chat about, den?"

Rogue looked away quickly, not meeting his eyes. "Nothin' important, believe meh. Now, do yah wanna hear about this o' not?"

"I'm all ears, _chère_. Y' have my undivided attention."

"All right… Well, this may be a bit confusin' ta explain, but Ah'll do mah best," she began slowly, placing her utensils down on the table. "When it's Carol's month, Ah don't just go inta some sort o' hibernation – Ah'm spendin' th' time in mah mind. With th' Professor's help, Ah created a mental projection o' th' Institute in mah subconscious, so that's where Ah stay instead o' just floatin' around in th' void o' mah mind."

He blinked. "What, so it's like y're not even gone? Y' go t' sleep an' wake up in anot'er version o' de mansion?"

"Basically, yeah," she nodded in confirmation.

"Why didn' y' create a mo' excitin' projection? If I could escape t' a place in m' mind, I'd pro'ly pick a nice, warm tropical island o' somet'in'…" Yes, someplace where it never snowed sounded delightful – he still hadn't fully recovered from the New York winter, despite currently being smack dab in the middle of a hot and humid summer.

"Well, it's th' mansion fo' a few reasons, actually. Ah consider it mah home, an' it was th' easiest ta envision… An' also because it's where th' psyches feel most comfortable, since most o' them live here," she elucidated, although nothing really became any clearer to the Cajun.

"Okay, y'll definitely have t' elaborate on dat."

"Well, th' residue o' all th' people Ah've absorbed is in there with me. It's a lot like reality, actually – Ah can hang out with Kurt's psyche, o' play a board game with Jamie's… They're shades o' th' real people, walkin' around mah mind mansion, so yeah, Ah guess in a way it's like Ah never really leave. Except that since Ah've never absorbed yah, yah're not in there – that's what Ah meant earlier, by yah not bein' in mah head."

Remy had to take a moment and marvel at the revelation. He was no stranger to odd things (having grown up immersed in the mysticism and voodoo of New Orleans), and after coming to the mansion he had seen his share of the abnormal (of which he thought Carol and Rogue's perplexing situation topped the list), but now this revelation seemed to take the cake.

He was teeming with unanswered queries, so he blurted out the first ones that he could form. "How realistic is it? I mean, do y' ever fo'get dat it's only y'r mind?" As seemed to be the norm when dealing with Rogue, he was left with more questions for her than he received answers.

- X -

Rogue frowned, considering how to best answer him. Most people found it difficult to comprehend exactly how she had structured her subconscious, and what went on there. Although, to be fair, at first she had found it rather complicated as well.

"It's extremely realistic – Ah mean, th' psyches have all th' memories o' th' person, except fo' th' stuff that happened after Ah absorbed them. They've got th' same personality an' everythin'… Sometimes I have conversations with them an' then mention th' stuff we talked about ta th' _real_ them, which gets kinda confusin, but Ah'm gettin' better about that," she shrugged, looking down as she tapped her gloved fingers on the tabletop. "As fo' forgettin' that Ah'm in mah mind… It hasn't happened yet, since Ah've always been conscious o' th' fact that Ah've done th' switch. Ah remember that Ah made mah way there, but Ah suppose if Ah didn't, then it'd be easy enough ta think it was real life," she then considered thoughtfully.

The truth was that the topic of discussion was actually making Rogue slightly uneasy. Kitty had mentioned it earlier, how she worried that Carol would simply retain her control over the body. Now it perturbed her to realize how she unwitting she might be in her own mind…

She swiftly searched for something else to concentrate on, something less perturbing, and the first thing her mind jumped to happened to be sitting directly across from her. Remy was acting rather peculiarly today – he had seemed so eager to see her, and he appeared enthralled with what she was saying… Or was he always like this? Was she just noticing it now? Damn, this topic was no less perturbing.

She silently cursed Kitty for their earlier conversation. It would only serve to make her paranoid, carefully dissecting every little thing he said and did for evidence of something that just wasn't there. They were just friends, that was it. Friends missed each other after a month apart, friends cooked each other breakfast, friends paid particular attention when they spoke to each other…

Although, if Rogue looked carefully, the Cajun did seem to have a strange glint in his eye. It wasn't the usual sparkle that accompanied his teasing, or the twinkle that appeared when he laughed heartily. It was something different, and it looked as if it was directed at her…

No! What was she thinking?

She blamed Kitty for this, completely and utterly. Yes, it was her fault for bringing up the notions of feelings and dating and romance, her fault for putting all sorts of ideas in Rogue's head – if she hadn't mentioned her observations about Remy and her ideas about him having feelings for her, then she wouldn't be sitting there wondering about it!

But she shouldn't have been wondering about it at all – she should have simply brushed the idea aside, because it meant nothing at all. Why hadn't she brushed it aside?

Well, now she was curious. She would have to find out what it all meant. But that required acting normally, acting casual, while her brain processed it all. She could do that…

"So, are yah satisfied with th' inner workings o' mah mind yet?" she questioned, striving for a laid-back tone. Then she wanted to kick herself for wording it like that – what was it, an invitation?

Remy just chortled. "Don't t'ink I ever will be, _chère_."

She smiled weakly, and then decided to pick up her fork once more and finish her meal. They ate in companionable silence until she paid her compliments to the chef and offered to wash their dishes as thanks.

As the water began to run, Remy stood up and leaned against the counter. Deciding that she should say something, she attempted for congeniality and asked, "So, what do yah have planned fo' today?"

"Well, I was hopin' we could hang out," he replied with an eager look on his face, and a plate slipped from her soapy fingers into the sink. He didn't appear to think it anything out of the ordinary, and continued, "It's been over a month dat I've gone wit'out decent banter, I'll have y' know."

"Um, okay," she nodded slowly. "What did yah have in mind?" There was no need to read anything into this, Rogue told herself. They hung out together all the time. And besides, this would just give her a chance to prove that there was nothing out of the ordinary going on – he would flirt, she would insult him, everything would be normal!

"Well, _chère_, dat's a secret," he winked at her. "Y'll have t' follow me t' find out!"

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but wiped her hands on the dish towel and did as he said. He led her into one of the mansion's rec rooms – this one was currently empty, and he gestured for her to sit down on the couch. Then he walked over to the television and picked up a small case.

"Guess what I have here?" he said in a sing-song voice, holding the item behind his back.

"Well, from th' shape o' it, Ah'd have ta guess it's a DVD," the girl replied.

He pouted. "_Oui_, but what movie?"

"How th' heck should Ah know?"

Remy grinned, and revealed the box with a flourish. "Remember dis? De amazin' theatrical masterpiece dat we got kicked out of a few months back?"

"No way!" Rogue exclaimed with a laugh. "Ah can't believe yah got that! No, wait, Ah can't believe yah actually spent more money on it!"

"Well, we have t' see if our predictions o' de characters deaths will come true, henh?" he retorted, sticking the disc into the DVD player.

Then moving over to the couch that Rogue was sitting on, the Cajun plopped down beside her. She tensed slightly, but then realized that he had sat far enough away to maintain a safe distance. A friendly distance. She released a breath she hadn't even noticed she was holding, but then froze as he slung an arm behind her, to rest on the top of the couch. She relaxed again – his arm wasn't around _her_, it was just the most comfortable position for him to watch the movie in!

She scolded herself for thinking those things, and again condemned Kitty for putting such ideas in her head. She would just have to ignore them, especially before Remy noticed her acting oddly. It would do no good to put those notions in his head as well! …Unless they were already there?

No! Those were bad, ridiculous, unfounded, irrational thoughts. Thoughts that would stop _now_.

Turning her full attention to the movie, Rogue was relieved when Remy cracked the first joke. She easily quipped back, and soon they were engaged in their familiar witty repartee, just like usual.

Except that in the doorway, somebody was watching them with interest.

* * *

Hmm, is Roguey finally getting on the trolley?

**Next chapter** – Rogue and Remy have a very illuminating chat… but unfortunately, not with each other!

So, are you jealous of all the people that have their names mentioned at the start of my chapters? Want to have yourself immortalized in the pages of this fic? Well, you can! And for only 14.95, plus shipping and handling. Nah, just kidding – in fact, all you have to do is click that pretty little button on the bottom left-hand corner of your screen and leave me a review… Easy, eh? Not to mention less expensive!

Toodles,

– ish –


	15. Epiphanies

**Disclaimer:** This is the house that Marvel built, and I'm simply squatting. And rearranging all their carefully-placed furniture! _Hah_!

**A/N:** Well, it's that dreaded time of the year again… Midterms! As the leaves on the trees begin to change and paint the landscape in a multitude of colours, every bloody essay and assignment and test seems to be due at the exact same time. Sigh! Well, hence my updating before the stress really kicks in and I have my semi-annual breakdown…

demiducky25 (glad you're back!), AnalisDestiny, TheRealMai, The Rogue Cajun, enchantedlight, naemis, darkstorm5000, simba317 (again with another lovely review of record-breaking length!), Mint Dragon, Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix, Sweety8587, SweetRevenge151, Rogue14, cool-chick-rae, TheDreamerLady, Anna Marie Raven, IvyZoe, Goldylokz, WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc, addtothenoise, & CloeyMarie: Thanks for your reviews all, much appreciated that you took the time to feed my addiction.

And a special shout out to Cheeky, who was super excited about having her name mentioned – so, why don't we do it in capital and bolded letters? **CHEEKY**! Ooh, snazzy. Thanks for your enthusiasm! ;-)

Well, here you all are – a new chappy, hot off the presses. Actually, it may be lukewarm by now, but it's still good!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 15 – Epiphanies**

**_August 2005_**

It was a calm and peaceful night, but there was an underlying darkness to it, and it wasn't just due to the physical lack of light that came with the sun setting. She stood tense, knowing something was lurking out there… It was coming. It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly there came a crash, and she let out a piercing scream. He was here! Dashing off, the only sounds were of her quick footfalls and her heavy panting as she fled in terror…

"Oh no, run fo' yo' life!"

"_Non_, don't go in dere!"

"Watch out, he's got a knife!"

"Ooh, that's got t' hurt," Remy cringed, but then joined Rogue in a fit of laughter as the movie's end credits rolled. Although the flick needed considerable work to make it salvageable, their mockery had certainly made it more entertaining.

"Well, Ah've gotta admit, Cajun, this was one o' yo' better ideas," the girl allowed, once she had caught her breath. "It was pretty fun."

Once she had forced herself to relax, the pair had easily fallen back into their usual routine of jokes and banter and teasing. In fact, their interaction was so much like it always was that Rogue was now convinced that Kitty was simply seeing things through her usual rose-coloured glasses – probably due to her desired relationship with Piotr progressing about as slowly as a turtle stuck in a tar pit. And the Southerner had always thought that _she_ would be the one to live vicariously through others…

"Fun it was, _chère_," Remy replied, hauling himself up from the comfortable couch to eject the DVD. "Not t' mention dat we were one hundred percent accurate wit' our guesses on character mortality! Pretty impressive, I'd say."

"Well, Ah guess we're just that good," she smirked, taking on some of his characteristic cockiness.

As the Cajun replaced the disc back in the case, his eyes drifted over to the Institute's impressive video library. "Want t' watch anot'er one, den? Unless dere's somet'in' else y' wanted t' do..."

"Nah, Ah don't have any other plans," she shrugged. Suddenly, a devious little thought popped up in the back of her head. Perhaps she could go about putting Kitty's little theory further to the test? After all, hypotheses needed observations to back them up, so she added on, "Yah said yah wanted ta hang out with me, right?" Just how would he respond to that?

"O' course I do," he grinned. "After over a month wit'out y', I think I'm goin' t'rough Rogue withdrawal." Her eyes widened slightly at his admission, but then he continued quickly with, "Not t' mention my nicotine withdrawal too – an' remember, I need y'r presence t' distract me from dat."

There it was, him spending time with her was purely platonic. Of course, that surely would have been her conclusion even if he hadn't tacked on that last sentence – because his little flirtations were just a part of who he was, she was well accustomed to them by now. But then, if flirting was his default setting, how could she discern if he felt anything? Maybe he would be utterly serious for once?

No, that was unlikely, Rogue told herself, because it would never happen, and she didn't care if it happened, and she wasn't supposed to be thinking about this again! So, pasting on a smile, she told him, "Another movie sounds good. Pick one while Ah go get a drink, okay?"

"Sure. Mind bringin' back some popcorn while y're in de kitchen?"

"No problem," she nodded, and left the room.

Once she entered the kitchen, the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee greeted her nose. Without even having to look, she knew Logan was in the room. He was the only one that made his coffee so strong – in fact, there were tales around the mansion that said whatever Wolverine didn't drink he then used in the garage, to eat the rust off the cars.

Glancing over, she spotted him leaning against the counter, with his usual mug in his hands. Ororo had given it to him for Christmas a few years back – it read "Kiss me, I'm Canadian", and had caused quite a few rumours to circulate about whether the weather witch would follow the instructions... Usually all the dishware and cutlery in the mansion was fair game, but that particular mug was considered marked territory – nobody dared go near it.

"Hey, Stripes. Good to have ya back," he nodded gruffly, as per usual. He wasn't much for getting all touchy-feely, but then, neither was she, so she could appreciate that. Besides, she always found it rather amusing how the strong, tough feral shied away from anything emotional (watching him run away from a recently dumped and bawling Amara with a terrified look on his face had been priceless).

"Hi, Logan. Have a good month while Ah was gone?"

He raised a bushy eyebrow. "Shouldn't I be askin' you that?"

"Well, it's not like Ah get up ta much, is it?" she shrugged.

"Point taken. And yeah, my month was fine." Then he amended, "Or, at least as fine as it could get with Carol prancin' around."

From the look on his face showing his distaste, Rogue was torn between laughing at him or apologizing for causing the whole thing. Eventually she chose neither and remained silent, because she had discussed that particular subject enough for one morning – or really, for an entire month.

Logan didn't press her to talk about it, which was something she always appreciated about the older man. Her lone-wolf tendencies took hold every so often and he understood that (heck, he was the epitome of it), so their relationship had never been based on words and eloquence – not that he was the chatty type anyway. Their bond was more about watching the other's back, just being there to provide wordless company, and simply knowing that there was another person like them out there.

He continued to sip his drink as she searched the cupboards for some popcorn. "Want some coffee?" he offered.

"Hmm… Well, Ah could definitely use somethin' ta wake me up, but Ah don't know if Ah wanna risk drinkin' that sludge," the Southerner teased him.

He had already reached for another mug, knowing she wouldn't refuse. "Ya seem pretty awake to me, what with the noise you and Gumbo were makin' with yer play-by-play of that movie."

She glanced up sharply. "Yah were listenin' ta us?"

He remained composed, staring at her levelly. "I wasn't listening, I just heard. All the way from the kitchen, in fact. You two were loud."

"Oh," she said, feeling slightly silly for assuming that the man would stoop to something as childish as eavesdropping. Besides, it didn't matter that he had heard them, right? It wasn't like they were conversing about anything particularly private or intimate.

Shaking her head, Rogue moved over to the table, spooning some sugar into her cup to make the concoction drinkable.

"I can't believe you're putting sugar in that," the Canuck snorted. "Kids these days don't appreciate a good cup of coffee – drinkin' it black's the way to go."

"Well, that must be why Ah'm so sweet an' yah're so bitter," she joked. "Besides, th' way yah drink it would probably kill anybody without a healin' factor. An' don't think Ah don't know about th' whiskey yah sneak in there!" She chuckled as her comment brought back reminiscence of the time Jamie had almost managed to sneak a sip from the man one morning – ever since the impressive telling off Storm had given him, he always kept an iron-tight grip on his cup of mud.

He raised one shoulder lazily, and half-heartedly defended, "Hey, it gives ya a good jolt in the mornin'."

"Well, Ah'll stick ta sugar an' caffeine, if yah don't mind. If one fails, th' other's a backup ta give yah a buzz."

"Suit yerself."

There was silence for a short while, as they both drank their coffee and listened to the soothing hum of the microwave heating the popcorn. Logan was the strong, silent type, never feeling the need to fill in the gaps between a conversation – so it surprised Rogue when he awkwardly started, "So…"

"What's up?" she wondered, sensing there was something he wanted to talk about. From the grimace on his face (which she had learned to distinguish from his usual scowl) she could discern that the topic was one he probably wasn't too keen on, and that made her worry.

"Ya doin' okay, Stripes?" he enquired uneasily.

"Uh, yeah… Why do yah ask?"

"Well… Aw, hell, I'll just cut to the chase. I'm worried about ya, kid."

"What? Why?" She frowned, never having liked when people fretted about her. They tended to get insufferable, always crowding her and pestering her with the standard "I know it's rough" and "Do you want to talk about it?". He had never done so, of course, and she doubted he would start now, but it still irked her that he would bring it up, especially when she couldn't see a reason for it. 'It's just 'cause he cares,' she reminded herself.

The Canuck must have seen the indignant look on her face, because he added quickly, "Okay, so it's not exactly _you_ – you're tough, I know ya can handle things and take care of yerself… I'm more worried about something that could affect ya, an' I wanna talk to ya about it before it does."

"So, what is it then?" she questioned, curiosity peaked.

"The Cajun."

She stiffened. "Excuse me?"

Anybody else in the mansion would have recognized her sharp tone of voice and narrowed eyes as hints to simply back away slowly, arms in the air and not making any sudden movements, but Logan was fearless and plunged on ahead. "I know you two've been hangin' out recently, but I don't trust him. My gut tells me you shouldn't either."

"What, yah don't think Ah can make mah own decisions? Jeez, Logan, that's downright insulting!" Rogue cried, not quite understanding why she suddenly felt so enraged. "Glad ta see yah've got so much confidence in mah judgement!"

"Look, this isn't about you, it's about him! And I'm just sayin' that maybe you shouldn't give your trust to him so easily," he told her brusquely.

"Easily? Yah think months o' us bein' at each other's throats is me trustin' him easily? We're finally friends, an' Ah thought yah might actually be happy at th' fact we're gettin' along now, but apparently yah've decided ta be dictatorial an' tell me who mah friends can an' can't be!"

"I'm not tryin' to control you, Rogue, I'm tryin' to watch out for ya!" the man protested vigorously.

She scoffed. What, was she five years old? "Yeah, well it's a bit patronizin'! What happened ta me bein' able ta take care o' mahself?"

"Like I said, this is about him. I've got a feelin', and my gut's never wrong."

"Oh really?" she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. "Then please, enlighten me as ta why yah're so suspicious!"

"I've been watching him – I've seen the way he look at ya, the way he skulks around when Carol's in control, the way she tries to catch his attention… Somethin's goin' on there!"

"An' what exactly might that be?" she sighed wearily. She had already had this argument today, albeit in two very different manners. Kitty had been encouraging, pushing her towards Remy, whereas Logan was being belligerent, trying to steer her away. Still, they had both made similar observations – did that give them more validity?

"I don't know what they're up to," Wolverine confessed grumpily. "But the whole thing ain't right. The Cajun's hidin' somethin'."

"Ah don't appreciate yah talkin' about him like that!" she shouted, irritated beyond belief at the way Logan was referring to Remy. "He's a good guy, okay? He's nice an' sweet an' funny, an' so far he's been a good friend ta me – Ah'm not just gonna drop him 'cause o' yo' paranoid overprotective father act!"

He didn't react to her screaming at him, but his frown deepened as he shook his head. "Oh jeez. Ya like him, don't ya?"

The girl growled at his audacity. "He's my friend, so yeah, Ah like him. An' even if it was more than that, it still wouldn't be any o' yo' business."

"Fine." His voice was steely. "I wanted to warn ya, and I did. If ya wanna ignore it, fine. Forget I said anythin'."

Tossing his mug into the sink, he strode out of the room as Rogue seethed. Yet another person interfering with her life, and him in a much less tactful manner! A small part of her felt bad for fighting with him. This was different than their good-natured bickering, but it had happened before and they always made up soon afterwards, so she wasn't too worried. No, instead she was much more upset at the presumptions he had made. How dare he insult Remy like that?

The microwave's buzzer interrupted her thoughts, and jolted her back to reality. She had been so focused on the quarrel, and then on her thoughts, that she hadn't noticed the smell of burnt popcorn wafting through the room, which only became stronger as she opened the appliance door. She groaned in frustration, but then vindictively thought, 'Good! Ah hope wherever Logan stormed off ta, he can smell it! It oughta drive him crazy.'

Getting another bag of popcorn out of the box, she attempted to prepare the snack once more, this time setting the clock for a shorter period of time. The start button emitted a pleasant beep and the gentle humming sounded once more as Rogue leaned against the counter. Downing the rest of her coffee (which by now was getting cold) in one large swig, she began to wait, her mind running away with her once more.

It was patronizing, that's what it was, the way he questioned her judgement. Rogue, the girl that had been betrayed over and over again! If anybody would be overly cautious about deciding whom to trust, it would be her. And yes, she had doubted Remy LeBeau at first – who wouldn't have? With his arrogance, his swagger, the glint in his eyes when she told him of her powers, and the way he had brazenly pursued her after that… It was obvious he had been unaccustomed to girls rejecting him, and so he had set himself upon the challenge of wearing her down.

Things were different now, though. As much as she would have doubted it had anybody told it to her months ago, Remy had gotten better, and had become much more tolerable. The glint in his eyes, the one that used to sparkle with the need to triumph, had been replaced with the sparkle of laughter and amusement. The insufferable, I'm-oh-so-irresistible smirks had given way to kind and genuine smiles. The countless innuendos… Well, they still occurred, but considerably less often – but she had to admit, they sometimes made her chuckle.

The microwave once again tore her from her reverie, and Rogue snapped back to attention quickly. Reaching inside the contraption, she grabbed the bag – its heat permeated through her gloves, but they prevented her from being burnt. Some pattering sounds amongst the rustling told her that there were quite a few unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bag, but she didn't have the patience to set the timer again and linger some more. Besides, Remy was waiting, and she had certainly taken long enough.

At the thought of the thief, she smiled. If anybody could make her feel better after her little confrontation with Logan, he could. He had a tendency to do that, to make everything that was troublesome and looming grimly simply disappear whenever she spent time with him – it was quite the handy skill.

Walking down the hall on her way back to the waiting Cajun, she grinned wryly and was infinitely grateful that Kitty didn't posses the gift of telepathy – who knew what the other girl would conclude if she could read her thoughts right now? She'd no doubt do some sort of bouncy, gloating dance, but there would be no cause for it – like Rogue had said earlier, they were friends. She was thinking friendly thoughts about a friend, who happened to be a boy. A boy that was always good for a laugh… that was always fun to hang out with… that always distracted her from her troubles…

Suddenly she froze on the spot. The smile was wiped off her face, and she nearly dropped the bag of popcorn onto the floor. Those thoughts sounded like they had departed from the safe realm of 'just friends'. In fact, they sounded an awful lot like she maybe, possibly _liked_ Remy LeBeau.

'Aww, crap, Logan and Kitty might be right… Dammit!'

- X -

Mere seconds after Rogue had departed, when he could no longer hear her combat boots clomping away down the hall, Remy's honed skills as a thief sensed somebody else enter the room. They were quiet, he would give them that. Turning around from where he was perusing the movie selection, he saw Kitty Pryde sitting primly on the couch with a stern expression on her face.

"_Bonjour, petite_," he greeted her politely. "Can I help y'?"

"We need to talk," she stated firmly, and the Cajun was struck by her manner – he was used to her being perky and bubbly, not so direct and to the point.

"Okay… 'bout what?"

"Carol and Rogue."

If Remy had been in the middle of taking a drink, he would have spit it out at her words. As it was, he choked slightly. "_Pardon_?"

"You heard me."

"Uh, _oui_, I did, but 'm wonderin' what y' mean…" he tried to feign ignorance. There was no way the girl could know anything when he was still attempting to figure things out himself… Right?

"Don't play dumb! I was watching you two just now, and I've been watching you for a while!" she informed him in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

He smirked, trying to brush it all off with a joke. "Well, Kitty, I'm flattered, but –"

"Oh, don't try and change the subject! Just admit it already!"

"Admit what?"

"Your feelings for Rogue! Honestly, how can men be so dumb about emotional matters…" she grumbled the last part to herself, rolling her eyes in a fashion that Remy was sure exasperated women must have passed down from generation to generation.

He was still rather nervous about where this conversation could head, but Kitty seemed to have no clue about his darker dealings. Still, maybe playing dumb would be the best course of action. "My feelin's…?"

"Did I stutter?" Her sharp blue eyes pierced him, and he had to admit that she was quite intimidating. "You. Like. Rogue!"

"_Quoi_? Non, petite, I t'ink y're mistaken…" he denied instinctively.

Kitty pursed her lips. "What, so you _don't_ like her?"

"I didn't say dat! I mean, we're friends, so o' course I like her –"

"That's it? Just friendship?" she grilled him, almost as if she were accusing him of something. He couldn't actually figure out if that was the case or not.

"Uh, _oui_, as far as I know…" Remy said tentatively.

"As far as you know? Honestly, you're just like Rogue!" she cried, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration. "You're so stuck in your usual ways of viewing people that you don't see the possibilities staring you right in the face. I don't know _why_ the two of you are so against it…"

He blinked, and suddenly stood much straighter. "Wait, what? Did y' talk t' Rogue about dis?"

"Uh huh, earlier this morning."

"_Merde_." Well, at least that explained why she had acted a bit strangely earlier, when he had first seen her…

"What? Why is that so bad? I was just trying to open her eyes."

Remy didn't quite know the answer to her question, so he simply ignored it for the moment and moved on, focusing on Kitty's next comment. "Open her eyes t' what, 'xactly?"

"To the fact that you like her!" She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and he was the only one out of the population of six billion who hadn't gotten it yet.

"Well, we already know dat I like her, we're friends!" he replied, trying to give her the run-around.

"And here I thought that you had at least _some_ brains to go along with that pretty face," she clucked her tongue whilst shaking her head. "I'm not talking about friendship, Remy. You _like_ her. You don't even realize it, do you?"

"Kitty –"

She sighed. "Fine! If you're so keen on denying it, you've got nothing to worry about anyway. I talked to her about it, yeah, but she was pretty adamant about how uninterested she was."

His face fell before he could remember to maintain a mask of indifference. "What?" She wasn't interested? That was rather sobering, for he had always thought a small part of her was intrigued by him. But then again, he shouldn't be thinking like that anyway – they were friends now, after all, and he found himself enjoying that. It was oddly nice to have a relationship with a female that lasted longer than an evening...

"Yeah, she kept going on about how all you two are is friends, and that's all you'd ever be – especially with her powers and the Carol situation and all."

"Oh. Yeah, right… O' course. That's fine," he muttered, wondering how convincing it sounded. Probably not very.

The young brunette confirmed it a second later. "Gee, could you get any less believable there? You're really not selling it very well."

The thief really didn't know what to say. "_Petite_, y're seriously confusin' dis poor Cajun…"

"Well, I think it's about time this poor Cajun got a clue. Just then, when I said Rogue wasn't interested, I'm guessing you felt a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, right?" She saw the question in his eyes before he could voice it, and went on to order, "Think about it."

He thought about it, although he wasn't exactly sure what it was he was thinking about. Well, identifying the sinking feeling was easy enough – it was disappointment, gnawing, gut wrenching disappointment, which was something he was familiar with. It was the same feeling he had had on the rare occasions when he had failed a heist, or when he had heard about his forced betrothal to Belladonna…

Fine, so that was now known. Perhaps next would be figuring out why he had felt it moments ago? It had occurred when he was told that Rogue wasn't interested in him. That must have meant that he was disappointed that Rogue wasn't interested in him. …Because he _wanted_ Rogue to be interested in him? "Oh… Oh!"

She laughed at the moment of his epiphany. "Finally! Have you got it now?"

"Yeah, I t'ink so." _Dieu_, is that how all the pieces fit together? His bitterness towards Carol, his enjoyment at spending time with Rogue, his guilt at the situation he had created with the two… He cared about Rogue – as more than just a friend? "Well, dat's interestin'... So what de heck do I do 'bout it?"

Kitty winced and regretfully admitted, "Well, I'm probably not the best person to help you there, considering I can't seem to do much with my own crush…"

Despite his inner turmoil, he chuckled. "Point taken. Y' know, I t'ink I should scold y' f'r dat – I lost a bet wit' Kurt on when y' an' Piotr would finally go out on a date."

"What!" she shrieked (so loudly that Remy thought it would shatter glass), and then buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God, does everybody in the mansion know that I like him?"

"Everyone 'cept him, apparently."

"Oh, good," she sighed in relief. But wouldn't she want him to know that? Women. He had given up on understanding them long ago, he thought wryly, but was then jerked back to attention with her next irate words. "Wait – did you say you were _betting_ on us?"

"Anyway," he quickly changed the subject. "I'd appreciate if y' didn't tell any o' dis t' Rogue, okay? Lemme work all dis out my own way."

"If you insist," she sighed disappointedly. "Damn, I really wanted to gloat a bit that I proved her wrong!"

"Proved her wrong 'bout what?" the Cajun asked warily – oh no, what else had she told her?

"Well, like I said before, her situation with her powers and Carol have her pretty much convinced that friendship is all she'll get. But all that doesn't really matter to you, does it?"

Thinking it over, with a start he realized the girl was right. Her unusual circumstances didn't matter to him – which was strange, since he figured that they probably should have. When he thought fondly about Rogue, or when he spent time with her, or laughed with her, the fact that she was gone every other month or that she couldn't touch skin to skin seemed like an obstacle, yes, but not an insurmountable one. He shook his head, awed. "_Non_… _non_, it doesn't really matter."

"Hah, I knew it!" Kitty cried giddily, clapping her hands in delight. "Now you'll just need to convince her of that – she hides behind those excuses, you know. I think she really does feel something for you – she just needs a push to acknowledge it."

"Dunno…" Remy mused, trying to wrangle all his confusing thoughts and order them in a calm, logical manner. "Don't t'ink she'd like t' be pushed in any direction, it might make t'ings worse."

"All right, fine," she pouted. It was clear the girl had been hoping for some grand, tear-jerking romantic gesture, but Rogue would probably castrate him for doing something like that in front of all and sundry. "I'll keep quiet about it then… But whatever you do, it better be good!"

"I'll try my best," he grinned weakly. In truth, he had no idea what sort of grand scheme he would execute – but it would certainly have to be good to break down Rogue's barriers.

"Spiffy!" she chirped, and jumped off the couch.

She phased through the piece of furniture, heading towards the door. However, before she could leave a nagging question seized him, and he simply had to ask it. "Hey, _petite_… How'd y' know?" He was a bit blown away by the fact that the girl could tell before he himself figured it out.

"About your feelings? Mostly matchmaker's intuition, I suppose," Shadowcat shrugged modestly. "I see the way you are around Rogue, and the way you look at her… It's even more obvious when you compare it to the way you are around Carol. So I developed my little theory, and, well, you just confirmed it."

Shoving away his worries and stresses for a moment, Remy laughed. "I'm very impressed wit' y'r manipulative abilities, I have t' tell y'." In actuality, they almost reminded him of his own – except that she used hers for a more virtuous purpose, his conscience nagged him.

"Thanks! It was actually pretty fun. And wow, that look on your face was priceless…" Giggling, she began to leave the room.

"Wait!" he called to her. He owed her for the push she had given him, that was for certain – and what better way to reciprocate than to aid her in her romantic endeavours? "I wanted t' say t'anks. I appreciate de help, I really do, an' was hopin' I could return de favour."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, I happen t' know dat a certain tin man's birthday is comin' up, an' I also happen t' know dat he's interested in seeing de Dada exhibit comin' t' de Museum o' Modern Art…" the thief told her innocently. It was amazing how much looser the Russian giant's tongue got after a trip to the bar, and a few shots of vodka…

"Ooh!" she squealed, bouncing up and down on the soles of her feet. "That's _perfect_ – it's like a present and a date all in one!"

He laughed at her enthusiasm (and at the fact that if he instigated another bet with Kurt, he was sure to win) before wagging a finger at her and saying, "Just don't chicken out, okay?"

"Thanks Remy, I won't! And you better not either!" She was about to bound out of the room, but before exiting she halted yet again, turning abruptly on her heel. "Oh, Remy? One more thing."

"_Oui_?"

Her eyes narrowed instantly, but her tone remained deceptively sweet and innocent. "Hurt her, and I'll phase your innards out and feed them to Wolverine, got it?"

The thief, used to threats from Assassins and said feral mutant alike, couldn't help but gulp. "Got it."

"Great!" she exclaimed, back to her cheery self once more. "Well, I'm glad we got all that settled then. Bye!"

Then the girl left, and Remy had to release a sigh of relief. Who knew what she would have done if she actually knew his deeper secrets about Rogue and Carol… He involuntarily shuddered. No, that would do no good at all – there would be hell to pay if that little tidbit got out, and Remy felt like kicking himself for instigating it all in the first place.

What had he been thinking? No, he knew very well what he had been thinking – that the whole Rogue/Carol situation was a challenge he simply couldn't pass up. It had seemed so appealing (and frankly, fun) at the time, but now he just regretted it. Who could have foreseen that he would actually come to care for Rogue? It had certainly blindsided him…

But now he knew. Things made sense, and he could actually put names to his feelings and explain why he was feeling them. He knew what he wanted, and who he wanted it with, and that was certainly a step in the right direction. Now, if he was careful, using all his cunning, he could somehow manage to make everything work out. The most important detail would be, of course, to finally end the foolish game he had so stupidly begun – hopefully without anybody being the wiser.

He cared about Rogue, and he despised Carol – it was clear what he had to do. Perhaps it was easier said than done, but it would definitely have to be the first step…

He had to break up with Carol Danvers.

"Remy?"

And suddenly he was jolted back to reality when a tentative voice broke through his thoughts. Looking over to the doorway, he saw Rogue standing there, a bag of popcorn in her hands.

"Hey, _chère_, y' took a while," he tried to reply casually, as if her catching him standing and staring out into space was a normal, everyday occurrence.

"Yeah, sorry, Ah got… held up," she explained vaguely, and then gave him a strange look. "What were yah doin'? Yah still haven't picked a movie?"

"Oh, _non_… Sorry, got lost in t'ought, I guess," Remy grinned sheepishly, heading back over to the video rack while she returned to her seat. "How 'bout dis?" he then asked, holding up the case for 'Memento'.

"Sure," Rogue nodded. "Stick it in."

The thief did so, then walked over to the couch to sit down. He lowered himself down next to Rogue, but not as close as he would have liked to be. He didn't want to move too quickly… Oh, who was he kidding? He would have loved to do something more obvious, like take her hand, but doubted that would be prudent. Not only was he unsure of where exactly she stood regarding any mutual feelings, but he first and foremost had to give Carol the boot. Unfortunately, that would have to wait for another month, so the Cajun would have to move slowly – which was yet another novelty in this whole situation, he thought with amusement. But he could do that, right?

Then his hand reached for a few kernels of popcorn, and just happened to brush against Rogue's, who was doing the same thing. They both jerked back instantaneously, even though in the next second Remy registered that he hadn't wanted to.

"Sorry," Rogue mumbled sheepishly.

"Not a problem," he forced out hoarsely, but with a warm smile. He let her take her handful first, as he watched her askance. Was she blushing?

She was quieter now, and he wondered why. True, they were watching a fairly involved movie that required some concentration, but that usually wouldn't have stopped her from making various comments and critiques. But that was okay, since he was dividing his attention between her and the screen anyway. He kept watching her hand as it moved to get more popcorn, and parts of him wanted to do the clichéd brushing hand move again… But he stopped the urge, reminding himself of what had been decided earlier – taking it slow would be best.

And slow things were. The movie seemed to last forever, most likely as a result of him constantly watching her and feeling tempted. Finally, when the denouement was approaching and the popcorn was almost all eaten, he gave in and reached into the bag at the same time that Rogue did. Yes, she was definitely blushing, but then they both frowned as their hands not only touched each other's, but some unpopped kernels.

"Aw, we ate 'em all already?" Rogue complained with a grumble.

"Not quite, _chère_," Remy smirked.

Picking up a few kernels, he unleashed his mutant power and let kinetic energy flow into them. They glowed pink for a moment before erupting with a pleasant popping sound. "Mmm," he grinned, flicking them up into the air and skilfully catching them in his mouth.

"Yah can pop yo' own popcorn?" she noted, seemingly half impressed and half annoyed. "Yah should've told me that sooner, Ah wouldn't have had ta go through all that trouble in th' kitchen!"

"What kind o' trouble?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, yah know… Microwave problems," she answered quickly.

"Oh. _Desolé_," he apologized, but wasn't really all that sorry. No, he had reached an epiphany while she had been gone, and it was a good feeling. Freeing, in a way – yet wholly terrifying in another.

However, he was resolved now. He had a plan, and he was going to put it into motion. Things were currently up in the air, but soon he would settle them, he was sure of it. There was a lot of work ahead, but the Cajun would take things one step at a time. The first stage was to dump Carol, of course, but he had a few weeks until that would be possible – which was advantageous for him, since it gave him a long period in which to plan and practise.

For now… Well, he had four more weeks with Rogue, and Remy intended to make the most of them. Somehow things seemed sweeter now that he acknowledged his feelings. Maybe now he could search her out without stopping to speculate about why she was the one he wanted to spend time with, or compliment her without wondering why his comments flowed so effortlessly, or smile without pausing to justify his feeling of comfort and contentment.

For now he would be as friendly and as nice and as charming as he could be, striving to make good impressions on her. For now he would work covertly, but diligently, to get her to stop being so guarded. For now he would make her smile and laugh…

So he popped a few more kernels with his powers and threw them at her.

"Hey!" she cried in indignation, moving to shield herself as he repeated the action. "What are yah doin'?"

"_Moi_? Why, not'in' at all!" he responded cheekily, with an utterly innocent look plastered on his face.

Her green eyes narrowed, and a sly smirk appeared. She couldn't make the kernels burst like he could, but she pelted them at him anyway, and they hurt quite a bit more that way than when they were burst into little airy puffs.

"Ow! Watch it, _chère_, y' almost got my eye wit' dat one!"

"No mercy, Cajun! Yah should learn not ta start somethin' yah ain't willin' ta finish!"

As he pounced on her, tickling her sides until they both fell to the floor in laugher, Remy considered her words – and how he would now certainly be taking them to heart.

* * *

Huzzah, they've both acknowledged their feelings! And now nothing could _possibly_ go wrong, right? …_Right_?

**Next chapter** – Carol's back, and Remy enacts his plan.

Maybe if I act real nonchalant about reviews, I'll get more of them? I can only hope! So yeah, uh, reviews… whatever, it's all good. Tra la la… Press that little button if you want, doesn't matter to me… Ack, who am I kidding? Of course it does! Review please!

Toodles,

– ish –


	16. Moves

**Disclaimer:** Guess what? I don't own the X-Men! I _know_, what a _shock_…

**A/N:** And it shall hereby be decreed that amidst rejoicing after a particularly brutal midterm examination period, a new chapter of Symbiotic shall be posted in celebration! Huzzah, pip pip, cheerio, and all that.

Krac, howlerdrode, missy42 (oh, I absolutely love Animaniacs! Wakko was always my favourite…), TheDreamerLady, Lady Xiu Mei Phoenix, Terilicious, demiducky25, naemis, WolvGambit Le Diable Blanc, simba317 (what sort of happy dance do you do – jig, rhumba, two-step? mine's more a bunny-hop kinda thing), EE's Skysong, enchantedlight, Gambit's Belle Rogue (such flattery, I'm blushing!), The Rogue Cajun, CloeyMarie, gabrielle myka, Rogue14, cool-chick-rae, Anna Marie Raven, IvyZoe (again you're on the trolley with your predictions!), addtothenoise, & heartsyhawk: Thanks all! Since you took the time to review and make my day, have a cookie! …Uh, sorry, I'm not actually _giving_ you a cookie, I'm just suggesting you have one. ;-)

Prithee, genteel readers, wouldst thou care to direct your attention below?

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 16 – Moves**

**_September 2005_**

It was difficult to find the mansion in the midst of the heavy mist enshrouding it, but Rogue knew that it was there somewhere. Actually, that's all it was a matter of – her knowing it. Focusing, she gathered her thoughts and concentrated. The next second the building's vague outline appeared through the fog, and she walked through her mindscape with the imposing blurry shape as a guide.

Reaching the front door, she frowned upon finding it ajar. Pushing it open, she stepped inside and saw various psyches in the front foyer – some were milling about, others were taking off down the connecting hallways. Making sure to close the door firmly behind her, the Southerner walked towards Carol, who had just jumped up from her seat at the foot of the stairs.

"Finally, you're here!" she exclaimed impatiently. "Let's do this already."

Rogue ignored her, instead sternly saying, "Yah know, yah should be more careful! Th' door was open, th' psyches could've been let out!"

"Relax," the other girl said with an unconcerned wave of her hand. "I was here watching. Now come on, can I go now?"

She was far from reassured, but brushed aside her worry – it wasn't as if anything negative had happened, after all. Besides, she was much more curious about Carol's eagerness to leave. She couldn't blame the girl, because she always underwent a bout of cabin fever after a month with minimal entertainment, but the blonde was much more anxious than usual.

"Well, sure," Rogue finally drawled slowly. Now Carol was tapping her foot on the floor in a staccato rhythm, and her blue eyes shone with annoyance. The goth was sadistically enjoying the opportunity to irk her mental roommate. "But don't yah wanna know what happened this last month?"

"Oh, right," she blinked, apparently having forgotten that little detail. "Sure then. But make it quick!"

Just for that comment she considered giving a complete play-by-play with every insignificant point she could recall, but then she realized that she wanted Carol gone as much as the girl herself wanted to go, so she acquiesced.

"Uh, let's see. It was Jamie's birthday, so we all threw him a surprise party, that was pretty fun – except that he got some new video games, an' is pretty much glued to th' television now. Things were pretty quiet on th' X-men front, there was only one mission an' that was just ta break up some trouble th' Brotherhood was causin' –"

"Anything _else_?" Carol broke in, rolling her eyes in irritation – it was clear she didn't find any of this important.

Rogue couldn't think of anything to add – at least, nothing she would be interested in. Besides, most of her month had actually been spent with Remy, and she didn't feel comfortable bringing that up with the other girl. So she just shook her head and asked, "What about yah?"

"What _about_ me?" the Bostonian wondered (somewhat defensively), narrowing her eyes slightly. "I was here the whole time, you know that!"

"Ah know… But Ah accidentally absorbed Kitty durin' a trainin' session a week ago," she began slowly. She didn't particularly like to recall incidents like that, but knowing that her friend didn't blame her for them helped slightly. Bringing the topic of absorption up around Carol was a whole different story, however, since she was quite sore about it. That was understandable, and Rogue was apprehensive about it, but her curiosity overrode that. "Ah just wanted ta know if yah saw how th' new psyche integrated with th' old one. Ah hope it didn't frazzle yah or nothin'."

The other girl simply stared back with a blank, uncomprehending look on her face. "Okay, I have absolutely no idea what you're babbling about."

"Yah know, when somebody's absorbed again an' all their new memories since th' last absorption get put together with th' existin' psyche?" she tried to elaborate as simply as she could, but Carol's look got no less vacant. She must not have seen the process occurring then, or maybe it was some sort of instantaneous action. Rogue shrugged and sighed resignedly. "Ah mean, it's never happened when Ah've been in here, so Ah was just wonderin' how it went, that's all."

"Of course it's never happened when I'm in control, I'm _careful_," the blonde replied acerbically.

"Whatever," Rogue muttered, not wanting to start that particular fight at the moment. "Ah was just curious."

"Yeah, well, I can't help you. I'm going now," Carol announced, and then turned on her heel and flounced out the door.

The remaining mutant grumbled, walking back across the foyer. "Is it _so_ hard ta remember ta shut th' damn door?" she asked herself contemptuously, as she shoved the large wooden door back into place, hearing the locks slide into place with a resounding _click_.

"Is she gone yet?" a heavily accented voice called from above, and Rogue looked up to see Kurt's psyche standing cautiously at the top of the stairs, with Kitty's hiding behind it – they seemed prepared to bolt if the answer was negative.

"Nah, she's gone," the girl laughed, heading up towards them.

"Finally!" Shadowcat gushed, stepping forward. "You should thank your lucky stars you aren't stuck in here with her!"

"_Ja_, she vas much more annoying zen usual – and zat was just in ze minimal time we actually spent vith her," Kurt added, nodding his head enthusiastically.

"Any idea why she was so impatient?" Rogue speculated as the three friends meandered down the hall. They passed the psyches of Bobby and Ray lounging in a rec room, and Jamie ran by them a moment later – as the building's architect and designer, Rogue was quite content to let its astral inhabitants have free rein of the place.

"Nope," the blue elf replied simply.

"It's not like she even talks to us, is it?" Kitty rolled her eyes scornfully. "You know, I bet she's eager to see Remy again, since he isn't in here with us."

"Oh no, not this again…" the goth groused, although unsure whether it was the topic that irked her or the mention of Carol wanting to see Remy. It was probably best not to think about complicated questions like that.

"Vat again?" Kurt questioned curiously, oblivious to what was being discussed. "Vat does Remy have to do vith it?"

"He doesn't have anythin' ta do with anythin'!" Rogue quickly insisted, glaring at Kitty in a bid to have her keep her mouth shut.

She just smirked back slyly and squealed, "Hey, don't think I didn't notice how often you and him were hanging out during the past few weeks! Well, at least you were up until the point when I was absorbed… But I'm sure you were after too. Well, whatever. What was _that_ all about?"

The German mutant looked between the two girls, and his eyes widened. "Uh oh, zis is going to be a giggling talk about boys, isn't it?"

"No!" insisted Rogue, while at the same time Kitty asserted, "Absolutely!"

"Um, zen I think zat's my cue to leave!" he stuttered, and began to head in the other direction. He paused a second later, however, and asked unsurely, "Wait – am I supposed to be overprotective? Or maybe threaten him in some vay?"

"No Kurt, it's fine," Rogue rolled her eyes, glad that he wasn't acting all testosterone-driven. "Ah'll talk ta yah later."

After he nodded and bamfed away, she rounded on her remaining friend and hissed, "Why did yah have ta mention Remy ta him?"

"Relax," Kitty assured her. "It got him to leave, didn't it? Now, don't try and change the subject! What was with you and Remy spending so much time together?"

"Why does it have ta mean anythin'? It was just two friends hangin' out, havin' fun," Rogue stubbornly stuck to her story, but couldn't help reminiscing when Kitty's words prompted her thoughts.

It was true, she and Remy _had_ spent a lot of time together during the past month – much more than usual, actually. It had always been enjoyable, whether they simply went out for coffee or took a day trip into the city. Still, she wasn't sure what it all _meant_.

He had been sweet, charming, kind, gentlemanly, funny… Well, all of those things were typical of him, weren't they? Maybe now she seemed to notice them more. Or had her level of observation remained the same and it was just that he acted that way more often? She didn't know, but more than once she had caught herself thinking that maybe she could admit to liking him after all.

But what about some reciprocity? After the most prominent worries of her powers and Carol, his feelings were next on her list of fears. She was confused – sometimes it seemed as if he was trying so hard to be witty and dashing just for her, and she occasionally caught a certain spark in his eyes when he looked at her… But then at other times he seemed to almost pull away and distance himself. Certainly if he liked her in more than a platonic way then he would have made a move by now, right?

Unfortunately, she knew nothing about this sort of thing, as her relationship experience was sorely lacking. Rogue hated to admit it, but she needed some advice. Luckily, Kitty was always more than willing to offer up her services (often without being asked), and she still hadn't strayed from that particular topic.

"You know, I still don't buy it," she gabbed on as they reached Rogue's bedroom and entered. "I thought you were gonna think about what I said that morning you switched back – remember that huge conversation we had about letting yourself see the possibilities?"

"Oh, Ah remember," the older girl stated, sitting down on her bed. She wanted to say it, but it was hard – she was never very good at being all girly and candidly prattling about her feelings. But perhaps it would be best to do it now, to the psyche Kitty instead of her physical counterpart? After all, here there would be no repercussions, and she _was _in need of a sounding board... Taking a deep breath, she decided to take the plunge. "An' actually, Ah _did_ think about it."

Her words had the desired result, because Kitty perked up instantly. She practically pounced onto the bed beside Rogue, leaning in with wide eyes. "_And_?"

"And… Ah think Ah might maybe, _possibly_, sorta like him."

"Eee!" the younger girl squealed, and had it been any higher of a pitch then only dogs would have been able to hear it. "I _knew_ it!"

"Oh please, don't gloat about it," Rogue groaned. "It's bad enough Ah had ta admit it!"

"All right, _fine_," Kitty pouted, crossing her arms. "But I _totally_ called it, didn't I? I told you not to question my matchmaker's intuition!"

"Yeah, yeah," the goth waved her insisting away, but couldn't help the ghost of a grin that appeared on her face. "Yah were right, happy now?"

She tapped her chin with a finger in a mock-thoughtful gesture. "Well, _almost… _I think I'd be much happier if you actually did something regarding your realization! It's time for the next step."

"Yeah, um, therein lies th' problem," Rogue moaned, falling backwards onto her sheets. "Ah'm kinda confused with what ta do next."

"How so?"

"Well, after Ah thought that Ah might like Remy as more than just friends, Ah started payin' more attention ta what was goin' on between us," she began to explain slowly and awkwardly, internally glancing back over their various outings and escapades. "Like yah said, Ah tried ta see how he looked at me. Sometimes Ah thought there was somethin' more beneath th' surface, but then other times he seemed more platonic than usual. Ah guess Ah've been gettin' mixed messages, an' Ah'm not sure what that means."

"Hmm," Kitty pondered, furrowing her brow in concentration. "I guess it could be a few things. Maybe he doesn't want to go too fast, so he doesn't scare you off? Or maybe he's unsure of how exactly you feel, so he's nervous about declaring anything yet."

"Or maybe he really does just wanna be friends," Rogue added with her typical pessimism.

"No, that's definitely not an option," Shadowcat declared authoritatively, shaking her head. "I _know_ he likes you."

"Oh really? An' just how do yah know that?"

"Hey, I was right about you liking him, wasn't I? Come on, give me the benefit of the doubt here!" she laughed, but didn't meet her eyes.

"Okay, fine… But Ah'm still not completely sold on what yah're sayin'. Ah mean, this is _Remy_ we're talkin' about – he doesn't seem th' type ta be nervous about makin' a move!" the goth pointed out. No, if anything, the Cajun was all _too _confident about his prowess with the opposite sex, which was part of why she was so leery in believing he could possibly feel something more for her.

Kitty was quick to reassure her. "In most situations, with most girls, no, I doubt he would be. But I think this time is different, Rogue – with the way he looks at you, and the way he is around you, well, I just think he wants to make sure he does everything right."

"Yeah?" she questioned, and absolutely detested the hopefulness that rang through in her voice. Dammit, she had been trying to go for nonchalance.

"Definitely," her friend stated resolutely, but then appeared to waver. "Uh, but on the tiny, miniscule, _microscopic_ off chance that he doesn't do anything, well, we should practise!"

"Practise what?" Rogue asked worriedly.

"Practise what you can say!"

"Excuse me? Just what will Ah be sayin'?"

"Duh! If he doesn't do it, you'll just have to ask him out first!"

"What? No way!" she shouted resolutely. It was bad enough admitting her feelings to her best friend, but to the actual object of her affections? They'd be building snowmen in hell before she'd be doing _that_.

"Why not?" Kitty whined with a pouting face. "Are you just going to wait around for him to do something? It's the twenty-first century, Rogue, women can take initiative and make the first move! In fact, sometimes they have to – just look at how I finally got up the guts and asked Piotr to that art exhibition!"

"Yeah, well, that was different," Rogue responded petulantly. "We knew fo' sure that he liked yah back."

"We've already been over this – Remy _does_ like you back! If for some reason he's too dense to do anything about it, well, then you'll have to," she declared firmly. "So, like I said – practise!"

"Kit, even if Ah decided ta be th' one ta step up our friendship, which Ah won't, Ah wouldn't do anythin' as lame as practise mah lines!" she insisted, getting up off her bed and placing her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"Oh come on, it's not lame!" Kitty insisted. "It'll make you feel better, believe me – that way you can plan out what you want to say, and make sure it sends the right message…"

"Why do Ah have a feelin' yah've done this befo'?" the Southerner rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I'm not ashamed of it!" she maintained, although her blushing cheeks belied her words. "After all, my date with Piotr went perfectly! I thought of some nice, safe topics to bring up in case there was a lull in conversation, and I even researched his favourite artists so I could make some insightful comments on their works – which he was very impressed with, by the way – and then I –"

"Only yah could turn a date into a homework assignment," Rogue laughed, but then quickly adopted a firmer tone. "But still, whatever merits yo' method might have, Ah'm not doin' it. There's absolutely no way Ah'm makin' th' first move, so just forget about it!" Then she strode out of the room before Kitty kept the conversation going.

Unfortunately for her, Kitty always liked to have the last word. "You can run, but you can't hide, Rogue! You're stuck in your mind, remember? I've got a month to convince you, and as God as my witness, you'll never go dateless again!"

She winced at hearing one of her favourite movie quotes mutilated like that, but just kept on walking. The other girl would catch up to her eventually, but for now she was resolute in her decision. She had already taken a giant risk in acknowledging her feelings for Remy, even more so in indulging them – there was no way she'd hazard being rejected. So, the thief would simply have to take the gambit… And that was what he was good at, after all, so she couldn't quash the tiny piece inside of her that hoped he would indeed do just that.

- X -

**_Later that day…_**

Remy was going to make a move. Finally, after weeks of wanting to do something, _anything_, about his sticky situation, he would finally be able to.

It had taken quite a bit of willpower on his part not to take action before now. After spending so much time with Rogue over the past month, from simply chatting across the dinner table to watching movies together, it was painfully obvious that he felt deeper feelings for her than just friendship. How had he not let himself notice it all before? He cared about what she thought, he noticed every little thing about her, and most startling of all, he enjoyed just being with her.

He couldn't count the number of times where he had to force himself to keep his distance when he wanted nothing more than to sidle up a bit closer to her! There were so many occasions when he had been so close to reaching out and taking her hand, but he caught himself in the nick of time. It was after moments like those that the Cajun tried to pull back a bit, and he hoped he hadn't sent any negative messages to her regarding the nature of his feelings…

But if by some slight chance he did, at least it would all be cleared up soon, because now it was the first day of September. He had never thought he would actually look forward to Carol coming back, but now he was – because he would finally have the opportunity to break up with her, something he should have done long ago.

As satisfying as the thought was, Remy was nervous all the same. He had been pacing the floor of his bedroom for the past thirty minutes, striving to work out what exactly he would say, trying to word it in the best possible way. There really wouldn't be any _good_ way to do it, but at least he could attempt it in a… less unsympathetic manner.

So there he was. The moment of truth. Deciding he had to get it over with, he exited his room and headed towards Carol's. Reaching the door, he took a deep, bracing breath and then knocked.

There was no answer.

He waited a moment and tried again, but there was still no response. Pushing the door open, he tentatively peered inside, but the room was empty. He scowled, and left.

Heading down the hallway, he wondered where the girl could have gone. He checked the kitchen and a few of the rec rooms, but she wasn't there, and his patience quickly began to wane. However, on his way down a hall towards another study, he finally saw her leaving the Professor's office. She had closed the door and started to head in the opposite direction, so he quietly called out to her.

"Hey, _belle_."

"Remy!" she squealed, whirling around and rushing over to him, throwing herself in her arms with her usual lack of discretion. "Hey, I was just going to go find you!"

"Well, I've been lookin' f'r y' too," he replied. "Where've y' been?" He had half-expected her to wake him up in her usual keenness to see him.

She rolled her blue eyes in annoyance. "Oh, well, Xavier wanted to have a little chat with me. He keeps checking up on me every so often, to make sure I'm _adjusting_," she complained, making little air quotes with her fingers around the sarcastically stressed word. "Really, our meetings are pretty pointless."

"Oh? How so?" he wondered as she hooked her arm around his and led him down the corridor.

She shrugged casually. "He just asks me how things are going, I say fine… It's not like we delve any deeper than that, since I don't want to talk about stuff, and he won't read my mind without permission – which I won't give to him."

The Cajun already knew what she was hiding, of course, but was curious to see what she would say about it, so he asked anyway. "Why not?"

"Oh, you know," she laughed uncomfortably. "Having some old man snooping around my head? I'm not exactly comfortable with that… Now, come on, let's go in here," she said, dragging him into the library.

"Why here?" he queried, knowing it wasn't someplace the girl preferred to spend her time.

"Cause nobody ever comes in here," Carol grinned wickedly, before launching herself at him.

The moment her lips fiercely met his, Remy's mind was blissfully wiped blank. He couldn't help but kiss back, because her lips were so delightfully soft, with a faint taste of strawberries. If only he could kiss her all the time like this, with such passion… Then his mind began screaming at him, and he remembered that it wasn't really Rogue he was kissing.

What was he doing? As tempting as it would be to have Rogue's personality _and _Carol's ability to touch, it wasn't currently possible. He couldn't have it both ways – he couldn't feel for Rogue and not care about her powers but then turn around and be with Carol just because he could touch. He had already made his decision.

Panting, Remy pried his mouth away. "Carol –" he began to say, but she cut him off.

"I love you," she murmured contentedly, before shifting and kissing him once more.

He stood there frozen, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Oh, _merde_. Surely she didn't just say what he thought she had said… Did she? Finally snapping back to attention, he pulled away once more and began to stutter. "Uh… dat's… Um, well… Thank y'?"

"Relax!" she laughed giddily, too caught up in the moment to realize that he looked utterly terrified. "You don't have to say it, I already know how you feel!"

Before the thief could force out any words to correct her misconception, she leaned in for more kisses. Remy moved his hands to her shoulders, about to push her off, when his eyes grew wide – from his vantage point of facing the door, he managed to view Kitty Pryde phasing through into the library.

Her jaw dropped in shock as she took in what was going on in front of her. As her gaze met with Remy's he could see the utter rage brewing in her normally cheerful blue eyes before she turned on her heel and ran back through the door.

'_Merde_!' he thought, panicking. Quickly shoving Carol away, he yelled, "Sorry _belle_, I've got t' go take care o' somet'in'! We'll talk later, henh?" Not even waiting for an answer from the bewildered girl, he threw the door open and tore off down the hallway, trailing after Shadowcat.

"_Petite_, wait, please!" he called after her, but the young mutant didn't slow down. It didn't help that she could save time by moving through solid objects, so Remy was unable to catch up with her. He received quite a few strange looks from the other teens he passed before he finally tracked her down in a lounge in the east wing of the mansion.

As soon as he entered he had to duck, barely managing to dodge the glass vase that came flying at his head. "Woah!" he cried in surprise, turning to watch it soar over him and smash into the wall. Moving back to face Kitty, he once again had to dart away when she lunged at him. "What are y' doin'?"

"What am _I_ doing?" she shrieked, now chasing him around the room. "I'm trying to phase out your innards, just like I said I would! But heck, I'll settle for phasing you into a wall and leaving you there to rot, I'm really not that picky. And I think the more important question is what the hell _you_ were doing!"

"_Petite_, please, I can explain!" he pleaded, holding his arms out in front of him in a surrendering gesture.

"Explain? Oh yes, I'd _love_ an explanation! I mean, clearly I was hallucinating, right? Tell me I was hallucinating!" she cried maniacally.

"Kitty, please, just calm down an' I'll tell y' everyt'in'," Remy ordered firmly but calmly, coming to a standstill and looking at her imploringly.

She stopped running around the room, but stood in front of the only door, blocking his exit. When she spoke, however, she was still frenzied. "Calm? How can I be calm? Here I thought that you liked Rogue – heck, you _told_ me you did, and I finally managed to open Rogue's eyes to it too – and now you're with Carol?"

"Kitty!" he finally bellowed, effectively stopping her rant. "Would y' stop talkin' f'r a minute so I can get a few words in? I know dis looks bad, but I can clear it up an'… Well, it'll still be pretty bad, but dere is an explanation!"

"Fine," she stated coldly, crossing her arms across her chest. "Start talking."

"Okay," he nodded, letting out a tense breath. "Look, it may seem doubtful after what y' saw, an' after what I'll tell y', but y're still right – I _do_ like Rogue."

"But then –"

"I'm gettin' t' it!" he cut her off. "Like I said, dis is pretty bad, but… When I first came here, an' found out about Rogue an' Carol's situation… Well, I t'ought it sounded like a fun challenge, so I went after dem both."

The thief felt even more disgusted with himself after saying it out loud, and it appeared Kitty thought no differently. "What?" she gasped, her voice cold with fury. "You dirty, rotten _jerk_! That is just _low_. No, that's _lower _than low! Ahh, I can't even describe how low that is!"

"Don't y' t'ink I figured dat out?" Remy laughed humourlessly. "It started off as a game, as a way t' keep myself amused, but it's more den dat now. I regret what I started."

"Do you?" she grilled him sceptically.

"_Oui_, more den y' know. Y' were dere, y' know I finally realized dat I care f'r Rogue…"

"Yeah, well, I _thought_ I had an idea about your feelings, but now I'm not so sure! I mean, my God, how could you play them both like that? It's despicable!" Kitty admonished him fiercely.

"I know!" he cried. "An' I don't even have a good excuse f'r it, ot'er den me just bein' me. But I've been tryin' t' fix it, I swear. I was about t' break up wit' Carol…"

"Oh really?" she asked dryly. "And you got distracted by sucking her face?" Then her eyes widened as she went over her words. "…Oh my God, you were _kissing_ her! How can you kiss her?"

"First of all, _she_ kissed _me_!" he hastily corrected her. "An', uh, I'm still not 'xactly sure how she can do dat, actually."

"But you knew she could?" Kitty glared at him, her tiny body wrought with tension, practically shaking with rage. "Jeez, what else are you hiding?"

"Not'in', I swear," Remy told her definitively.

"I don't know if I believe you," she stated bluntly, narrowing her eyes as she examined him shrewdly. "You've dug yourself quite a deep hole here, I hope you know!"

"Believe me, I got dat," he grimaced. "Now I'm just tryin' t' fix t'ings, an' it'd really help if y' said y' believed me an' won't go blabbin' dis t' anyone." The Cajun knew it was a lot to ask, and that it would take more convincing to get the girl to agree, but he really needed to mend the situation on his own. Not only would things fall apart if anybody else got involved, but he felt the need to finally assume responsibility for his role in it all.

However, Kitty didn't seem too keen at the idea. "Why _shouldn't_ I go tell someone?" she scowled. "Forget the fact that you've got something going on with Carol, but she's got control over Rogue's powers! Dr. McCoy should know, and the Professor, maybe they can do something! And oh _yeah_," she added sarcastically, "What about Rogue? She needs to know!"

"Does she?" Remy raised an eyebrow. "I've t'ought about dis already, _petite_, more den y' know. Y' t'ink it would help, knowin' dat Carol did what she couldn't? It'd prol'y eat her up inside, 'specially since Hank an' Xavier haven't gotten anywhere wit' de whole puzzle."

"How do you know that?" she wondered suspiciously.

He shrugged. "I asked around when I learned Carol could touch – I wanted t' find out why. Tried t' get her t' tell me how she did it too, but she wouldn' give me anyt'in' definitive."

"You really did that?" Kitty asked, her on edge posture relaxing slightly. "Why?"

Remy gave her a small smile. "Like I said befo', I care about Rogue. Wanted t' help her."

The girl paused for a few moments, carefully considering him and his statements. Then she spoke slowly, weighing each word. "I want to believe you, I really do. A part of me wants it because I don't want to be wrong about convincing Rogue that you liked her, but that's not what matters. I want Rogue to be happy, and I think you might be able to help with that. If you really, truly feel for her, then I'll back you up."

He sensed there was more to it than that. "But?"

She smirked wryly. "But I don't know if I _can _believe you. This whole situation really kills your credibility, you know. Not to mention there's a big part of me that wants to slap you silly."

Remy couldn't help but laugh, her comment bringing some levity to the serious situation. "Well, if it'll help y' trust me, would y' like t'?"

"Yeah?" she raised an eyebrow dubiously.

Before he could answer, she quickly stepped over towards him and whipped her small hand firmly across his face. "_Maudit_ (Damn)!" he cursed, feeling the sting and surprised that the small, sprite-like girl could inflict such pain. "Kitty, I was kiddin'!"

"Oh," she winced sheepishly, but then seemed to reconsider feeling bad, a cross look settling on her face. "Well, tough! You deserved it!"

"Fair 'nough," he chuckled dryly. "So, does dat even t'ings up b'tween us?"

"I don't care what things are like between _us_," Shadowcat stated, staring at him coolly. "Look me in the eyes and tell me the total, bona fide truth."

The young man nodded, stepping closer to Kitty. His tall frame towered over her elfin one, so he bent his head down slightly, peering directly into her baby blues and speaking passionately, with the utmost sincerity. "Kitty Pryde, I swear dat I regret what I started wit' Rogue an' Carol. I don't know if anyt'in' can make it right, but I'm goin' t' try an' fix it, because I really an' truly care f'r Rogue."

It was funny, he then mused, how he spoke the honest truth instead of working his manipulations like he usually would have done in such an important scenario.

The Cajun waited with bated breath as Kitty considered what he had said, remaining silent for a few moments. He was aware that things could all crumble right here, before he had even gotten a real chance with Rogue, and that thought distressed him more than he thought possible.

He felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders when she slowly nodded. "Okay," came her whisper. "Either you're the best liar in the world, or else you really do like her. And I'm obviously hoping it's the latter."

"Well, I'll admit I am a good liar, _petite_," he confessed. "But y' don't have t' worry 'bout dat here."

"You're the one who'll have to worry about it," she corrected him, putting a hand on her hip. "If you hurt Rogue, my previous threats still stand – and I'll probably get Logan and Kurt in on it too."

Remy winced at imagining the various gruesome tortures that pair could inflict upon him, but put that out of his mind – he was determined not to give them the opportunity. "T'anks f'r dat, it'll make me even more determined t' do dis right."

"So breaking up with Carol is your first step?" Kitty questioned, not really expecting an answer. "I'm surprised you managed to put up with her this long."

"Me too," he chortled, feeling slightly more relaxed now that the younger girl was on his side. She obviously wasn't too fond of him at the moment, but he could handle that.

"You'll have to be really careful, you know," she continued thoughtfully, putting her analytical skills to the test. "I mean, you can't just dump Carol and head on over to Rogue. I'm sure somebody will blab about it and Carol will find out, and she'll be _furious_. She might even take it out on Rogue..."

"Y' t'ink she'd do dat?" he queried worriedly. He had certainly doubted the clingy girl would take a break up easily, but to blame it on Rogue?

Kitty voiced the realization he then came to on his own a second later. "Of course she would! She blames Rogue for everything – she'd probably even pin global warming on her if she could. It won't matter that Rogue didn't _purposely _steal you away, she'll see it that way and try to get back at her for it!"

Remy sighed in frustration, as his intended plan to give her the standard "It's not you, it's me" speech was thrown out the window. "Okay, so den dis might be harder den I t'ought..."

"Maybe..." Kitty deliberated. "Well, what if you get _her_ to end things? If she's the one to call it quits then –"

"She won't be angry at Rogue f'r goin' out wit' me!" he concluded eagerly and optimistically, deciding not to say "if". Thinking positively was key.

"Actually, I was going to say that she'd have _less _reason to be angry," she informed him, making his idealism fade slightly.

"What? How could she possibly be angry if she's de one who dumps me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, what was I thinking? Guys are clueless about female emotions," she muttered to herself, and then elaborated, "Even if it ends on her terms, she's still likely to be bitter about things. It's ridiculous to assume her feelings for you will just stop completely. Things regarding exes are always pretty complicated..."

"Great, so are y' sayin' dere's no way f'r me t' win here?"

"Pretty much, although this option's obviously better than the other one. A slightly resentful Carol beats an enraged one."

Neither sounded particularly appealing to the Cajun's ears, but there wasn't much he could do about it, so he nodded. "Y're right. T'anks f'r de advice, _petite_."

"Whatever," she shrugged indifferently. "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for Rogue. And I still don't like this whole situation! It's not _right_. I feel guilty keeping this from her, she should know…"

"If she knows den it'll hurt her," he maintained.

"Her not knowing will hurt her too! Ignorance may be bliss, but the truth is the most important thing to Rogue – I think you need to tell her about all this."

"But –"

"If you don't, then I will," Kitty issued an ultimatum. "I don't want to, because I think she should hear it from you… But if you won't, then I just can't keep this from her."

Remy sighed heavily. He had been hoping he could get away with not revealing his callous game, but that didn't appear to be possible anymore. She was correct, however – it was the right thing to do… It would probably cost him his chance with Rogue, but he wasn't left with much of a choice. "If y' insist," he sighed.

"I do," she said. "And if you really care about her as much as you say, then you should agree with me."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know. I do… Just not lookin' forward t' it, dat's all."

"Yeah, well, you made your bed – now you've got to lie in it." With that she left, phasing out of the room, leaving Remy alone to face the feeling of dread slowly building inside of him and wondering how on earth he would be able to pull this all off.

- X -

**_Four weeks later..._**

It had taken much more time than Remy had wanted. Another month of Carol's clutching and simpering, but worst of all, her attempts at physical intimacy. The Cajun Casanova had never in his life thought that he would complain about a beautiful girl throwing herself at him, but he could never have predicted such a bizarre love triangle. As much as he hated to admit it, it was hard to pull away from Carol with Rogue's sensuous lips pressed against his...

He had tried to get himself dumped, but to no avail. He had started off in a subtle manner, raising concerns about whether he was ready for commitment – Carol had simply reassured him that he was a wonderful boyfriend. Next he began flirting with other girls while out on their dates – she just laughed, amused that she was a source of jealousy for others. Then it progressed to the ultimate step, kissing another girl right in front of her – he had though it a sure-fire way to be cast off, but somehow Carol had thought that he was the victim rather than the instigator, and ended up getting into a fight with the nameless woman.

Now the thief was desperate. Lately he had been distancing himself from her, not only for the purpose of disillusioning her, but also so he could keep himself away from temptation. It appeared to be working quite well, actually. At first she hadn't really gotten the hint, always seeking him out, but then she finally stopped trailing after him like a lost little puppy. He had retained his sanity, she had been neglected, and so, on the last day of the month, Remy decided that it was time.

He was apprehensive, but he figured that was only natural. After all, the girl's reaction would determine so many things, and his own feelings and desires weren't the only things hanging in the balance. Rogue was involved in this too, even though she didn't even know it yet, and he worried about her. But, he tried to rationalize it, as he had done countless times since coming up with the idea. Though Carol was many things, she wasn't completely stupid – there was no way she would possibly mention any of this to her adversary before he got a chance to explain it all, hopefully with the most positive spin on it he could muster.

That didn't quell all of his worries, of course. His plan was risky, but it was the only sure-fire thing he could come up with, and he was at his wit's end. He had to do it. Hopefully things would go well and one of his problems would be taken care of, the next being how to admit his misdeeds to Rogue.

But there was no need to get ahead of himself. The thing to do now was to drop the bombshell on Carol, which was why Remy was now standing outside of her room. Taking a bracing breath, he quickly rapped on the door, then opened it and slid inside before any witnesses could appear in the hallway. He found her lying listlessly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, but she quickly sat up when he entered.

"Remy!" she cried ecstatically. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted t' talk t' y'," he explained, standing stiffly a fair distance away from her, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Yeah?" she asked hopefully. "I'm glad! We haven't really spent that much time with each other lately," she added with a pout. "I thought you were mad at me or something."

"I'm not mad," he told her. "I just… I needed t' talk t' y', an' I wasn't 'xactly sure how t' do it."

"Why not?" she wondered. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Well, dis ain't really a pleasant topic," he divulged grimly.

"No? Oh, come on, you can't just tell me that something's up and then not tell me what!" she wheedled.

"Frankly, _belle_, I'm not sure if y' really _want_ t' know," Remy notified her, trying to build up an ominous tone. "It's not good news, it'll have repercussions on our relationship…" which inside he was dancing with joy about, yet kept in mind that outwardly he should probably appear to be apologetic and regretful. "But I can't _not_ tell y' either. I feel I should be honest wit' y', even though y' probably won't want t' even be near me after hearin' dis."

Carol got up off the bed, slowly walking over to him with a worried look in her eyes but attempting to put a brave smile on her face. "Oh Remy, you're probably worrying about nothing. We've got a good relationship, don't we? I'm sure we can handle this, whatever it is."

He was hoping exactly the opposite, but said concernedly, "Y' sure?"

"Of course! I mean, how bad could this news be?"

- X -

**_A while later…_**

Rogue was curled up contentedly on a sofa in a downstairs study, fully engrossed in a novel. It was too bad that she had no access to new information in her mind and was forced to occupy herself with memories, but since this book was a particular favourite of hers she really didn't mind rereading it again. It was something to do, at least – an alternative would be agreeing to Kitty's idea of a practise confessional regarding her feelings for Remy, but she still hadn't changed her mind about that.

So far she had managed not to get roped into it, despite the girl's best efforts at cajoling her. A part of her was much too nervous at the prospect of revealing her feelings – after all, she had just recently discovered them, couldn't they have time to stew?

But unfortunately, another part of her was bored. It began to rationalize that there was plenty of time left before the switch, so why not make the most of it? It would do her no harm, after all. It didn't mean she would actually have to do anything concerning those feelings back in the real world…

Her internal debate was interrupted by a loud slamming coming from outside the room, and she frowned. Getting up to investigate, she followed the echoing sounds of pacing footprints down the hallway until she found herself in the foyer. She assumed she would see some of her psyches wandering around (she had often found them hanging around the door, almost as if they wanted to leave – not that she could blame them, of course), but instead she was surprised to see an irate Carol Danvers there. Her hands were pulling at her long blonde hair as she strode back and forth, muttering to herself beneath her breath.

The Southerner blinked in bewilderment, startled that it was time to make the switch already. Her gaze instinctively turned to the antique grandfather clock that stood proudly over to the side, but then she laughed at herself for doing so – there was really no accurate way to keep track of time in her mind, so the clock wouldn't help.

She was so sure that it hadn't been a month yet… Maybe she had been too distracted by her tempestuous thoughts to take note of how much time had passed? Or perhaps it wasn't time for the swap – the blonde seemed agitated, maybe something had happened.

"Carol?" Rogue asked tentatively, stepping into view. "Are yah okay? It is time fo' th' switch?"

"No, I'm not okay!" she snapped, stopping her pacing long enough to throw a glare her way. "And yes, it's time for the switch, thankfully! I don't think I could've stayed out there a second longer, I need time to make sense of this…"

She couldn't believe her ears – had Carol just said she had wanted her time over and done with? That was never the case. Something _must_ have happened. "What's wrong?" Rogue had to ask, intensely curious as to what could have caused this.

"Wrong? Oh, I'll tell you what's wrong!" the girl shrieked hysterically. "Remy has a fiancée!"

* * *

Uh oh, that can't be good…

**Next chapter** – I'm sure all saw it coming, but now it's finally time – Remy's secrets are about to blow up in his face!

Guess what? It's my birthday this week! That's right, finally old enough to gamble and drink (legally, that is)! Oh, the fun I'll have… But the point is, if you don't already want to drop me a review based solely on the merits of my latest chapter, how about imparting some birthday wishes? Yeah, I'll do anything for reviews, won't I? I just figure they'll be like little presents for me to open all week long… ;-)

Toodles,

– ish –


	17. Truth

**Disclaimer:** Zilch, zip, zero, zot, nada, nothing, nil… Should I go on? Actually, I've run out of synonyms.

**A/N:** Ouch, it's been a month? _SO_ sorry it took so long! For some bizarre reason I was under the impression that finishing my midterms would give me _more_ time to write, but alas, it was not so! Stupid higher education. But I'm here now, and gosh, I really must thank all my reviewers! I got so many – I should say it's my birthday all the time! I'd love to respond to all of them, but sadly that's not allowed anymore, which I'm not too fond of. I've always liked seeing my name on the page, not to mention reading the responses to other reviewers in hopes of getting little plot hints and such... Sigh! Well, whether I find time to respond to your reviews or not, rest assured that they're much appreciated. I heart you all!

Anyhoo, here we go.

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 17 – Truth**

_**October 2005**_

Unlike her usual slow and leisurely awakenings at the starts of her months, this morning Rogue shot up instantly, as if waking from a nightmare – then she realized with horror that her bad dream was real. All she could do was replay Carol's words over and over... Remy had a fiancée? Without even noticing, she started breathing heavily, practically hyperventilating.

Finally feeling the tightness in her chest, she tried to calm herself down through sheer force of will. To do so, the Southerner turned to her trusty friend – rationalization. It wasn't possible, was it? No, certainly not. First of all, the Cajun wasn't the marrying type! He was the rebel, the bad boy that never got tied down – marriage didn't seem to fit that image.

It was clearly just some sort of tall tale that Carol had concocted. Maybe the girl had somehow guessed that she also liked Remy, and made something up to throw her off the trail? Such deception was no doubt within her repertoire of conduct... But that seemed to give her too much credit. Perhaps she had simply misheard something that Remy said! Maybe he had mentioned having a _financier_…

She knew she was grasping at straws, but she didn't want to stop – grasping the alternative would be much worse. Rogue didn't want to believe it. She wanted nothing more than to laugh it off as Carol's usual melodrama, but something inside of her felt absolutely sick. Some tiny part of her felt the girl was telling the truth.

So then... that would mean Remy had proposed to somebody! Remy was engaged to somebody. Remy was getting married to somebody… Somebody _else_. How was this possible? She couldn't even begin to comprehend the situation, her mind was spinning and nothing was making any sense. The only clear thing at the moment was that she felt _angry_, incensed like never before.

Rogue needed answers desperately, and she suddenly felt suffocated in her bedroom. She threw off her covers to reveal that Carol had begun to wear slightly more modest sleepwear as the weather grew colder. She wasn't sure how she retained the sense to find a sweater and a pair of gloves (it had to be a conditioned response, because there was no way she could have consciously noticed her apparel with her mind racing as it was), but she threw them over the silky tank top and drawstring pants she had on and strode out of the room.

The hour was still early, so the hallways were empty as the girl stormed towards Remy's bedroom and walloped on the door. She heard grumbling and rustling coming from inside, and a minute later Remy opened it, dressed only in a t-shirt and boxers. Normally she might have noticed how adorably ruffled he looked after just rolling out of bed, or how his eyes brightened and he smiled at the sight of her, but she might as well have been Cyclops because all she saw was red.

"Is it true?" she blurted out before he could even greet her.

He squinted at her, partly from confusion and partly from still being half-asleep. "Uh, good mornin' t' y' too?"

"Don't play games with me!" she cried in a fury, never one to beat around the bush. "Do yah or do yah not have a fiancée?"

The way his face paled and his eyes widened in alarm told Rogue everything she needed to know, and before he could even speak she found herself drawing back her fist back and punching him in the jaw.

"_Merde_!" he swore, stumbling backwards and clutching at the point of impact. "_Chère_…"

Rogue marched forward, shoving him further inside the room before slamming the door behind them and yelling, "Don't _chère _me, yah damn swamp rat! Ah don't think guys who're engaged should be callin' other women by pet names!"

If she hadn't been so overwhelmed and outraged, she might have laughed at how terrified he looked. "Rogue, listen…" he rasped out.

"Ah _am_ listenin', an' Ah don't hear yah denyin' it! So it is true?"

His mouth was moving up and down but he couldn't say anything, and that was the final confirmation for Rogue.

To her horror her eyes started to well up, but she didn't want to let him see that. Instead, she focused on railing at him. "Yah've got some nerve! Ah can't believe yah, Ah honestly can't... An' just when Ah realized Ah _care_, an' Ah thought yah might too, but –"

She froze, realizing what she had said. No, not _now_, she couldn't have accidentally admitted her feelings at a time like this! The look on Remy's face indicated he hadn't missed her slight slip-up, but it was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now. Unfortunately, he didn't let it go.

"Rogue, do y' mean -" he began, but she cut him off quickly.

"Look, just fo'get it, all of it!" she cried, before turning and attempting to rush out.

She didn't get far, as he reached out and seized her arm. "Woah, wait a sec! We need t' talk!"

"Talk? No, Ah definitely don't wanna talk ta yah," she snorted. She could barely look at him.

"Well, we have t'," he insisted, not releasing his grip on her.

"Fine," she spat sullenly, staring resolutely down at the carpet – anywhere but at him. "Start talkin'."

"_Bien_," he sighed in relief, but then didn't seem to know where to start. "Uh, well... Dere's a reason I didn't tell y', I swear. But how'd y' find out about Belle?"

Rogue was about to scoff and berate him for starting off with that instead of even trying to explain, but something resonated within her mind. That name sounded familiar… Where had she heard it before? Then it clicked, and she gasped. "That's th' gal yah were talkin' ta on th' phone!" she realized, remembering the conversation she had overheard so long ago - ironically enough, on Valentine's Day. "Oh mah gawd, have yah been stringin' us _both_ along this whole time?"

Suddenly she felt amazingly stupid for not having kept that fact in mind. Then the guilt began – she was the other woman! Well, not technically, since it wasn't as if her relationship with Remy had progressed to anything beyond friendship, but she still felt awful. She could only imagine how the poor, clueless girl back in New Orleans would feel…

"_Non_, it's not like dat!" he denied. In an utter panic he hastily tried to backtrack, "Look, Belle _is _my fiancée, but I don't even like her! It's an arranged marriage – if I had a choice in de matter, I wouldn't have anyt'in' t' do wit' her! Haven't even talked t' her in months. I only mentioned her so I could end t'ings wit' Carol –"

"What!" Rogue choked out, interrupting him in the midst of his hysterical confession. She felt as though her stomach had just dropped through the floor, but managed to yelp, "What did yah just say?"

The Cajun couldn't reply, his mouth moving but with no sounds emanating. His eyes looked at her with terror and guilt, and she couldn't believe it. She began breathing raggedly, rapidly, an oppressive weight bearing down on her chest. This was just too much... _Remy and Carol_? No, it couldn't be! From what everybody had told her, he couldn't stand the girl! And wouldn't somebody have known this and told her? No, it was impossible...

"Rogue, _chère _-"

"Yah sick pervert!" she suddenly hollered, her voice box seemingly taking on a mind of its own – the words just poured out of her. "Do yah get some sort o' sick fascination by toyin' with two girls in one body? As if we don't already have enough problems! An' oh, we can't fo'get th' fiancée – so that makes _three _gals! Mah gawd, that's despicable!" She was shorter than the thief, but with the way he was cowering in front of her now, she felt like she towered over him.

"Rogue, _please_ -"

She didn't let him continue, she just kept ranting – she didn't think she could have stopped if she wanted to, all the anger was forcing its way out of her and she let it flow. "Ah can't believe Ah was actually dumb enough ta believe yah had a thing fo' me! Lemme guess, Ah was just th' next check in yo' little black book, right?" Lordy, she felt like a fool. How could she have let Kitty convince her that he liked her? Even more, how could she have come to the same conclusion about him herself?

"Dat's not true!" he exclaimed, so loudly and firmly that it shocked Rogue into silence for a moment, which Remy took advantage of. He swiftly continued, "Look, I know I'm an idiot, an' a jackass – I'm not denyin' dat dis all started out as a game, but it's more den dat now. I have feelin's f'r y', Rogue!" She blinked at that, and opened her mouth to protest, but he forged ahead. "I know y' might not believe it, but it's true – I don't give a damn 'bout Belle or Carol. I was too blind t' see it at first, but I only care about _you_!"

A short while ago she would have been rejoicing at him admitting what she meant to him, but now it was all too much, this talk of feelings and fiancées and other women. There was no joy involved, just betrayal and confusion. Rogue was overwhelmed, and she couldn't take it. "Ah don't wanna hear this!" she wailed, shaking her head. "Ah can't handle this, Ah'm not playin' yo' damn game!"

"It's not a game anymo'!" he insisted, stepping closer and clutching her shoulders, but she just scoffed and wrenched from his grip.

"How th' hell am Ah supposed ta believe anythin' yah say?" she hissed fiercely. "Ah can't even stand ta be anywhere near yah right now!"

Before he could protest, the girl turned and darted from the room, praying he wouldn't follow – she couldn't bear to so much as glance in his direction. Reaching her room and barricading herself inside, she flung herself face down on her bed, burying herself in the blankets. Huddling in what little warmth they offered, she fought a valiant battle to hold her in tears.

She felt broken – there was no other word for it, she was shattered. It was just so bewildering, with the stress of her crazy feelings and a fiancée and a secret relationship with the girl that shared her body all adding up to yet another betrayal. Worst of all, it was perpetrated by the one person she had resisted so stubbornly, but then had grown to trust in the end! Well, that had obviously turned out to be a massive mistake...

Rogue couldn't take it any more. As she lay there, her entire body shaking, she finally burst into tears.

- X -

_**4 weeks later…**_

Gambit swore loudly as his peripheral vision picked up a series of ninja stars flying towards him, with an unobstructed path now that Shadowcat had phased herself out of harm's way. Lunging to the side, he rolled across the floor as they embedded themselves in the wall directly behind where he had been standing. That was yet another close call, which he had been having a lot more of lately. He knew why – Rogue took care to 'accidentally' deflect threats his way, and she had undoubtedly filled Kitty in on his indiscretions because now she tended to phase through projectiles, letting them head straight for him.

It was nothing less than he deserved, that was for certain, so he didn't shout back with a quip or retort – he just jumped back on his feet and continued with the training exercise. Withdrawing his bo staff, he used it to propel himself over a laser grid as the team continued down the hallway, heading further inside the holographic building.

Things continued to proceed without incident until they reached their objective: the main communications hub. Guarded by more than just video cameras, plasma canons popped out from the walls and started shooting, prompting evasive manoeuvres. Rogue was performing admirably, but one had emerged behind her and had her within its sights while she was focused on another. Quickly dashing over, Remy tackled her to the ground an instant before the beam was shot.

The pair fell onto the floor, tumbling until they came to a stop with the Cajun's long, lean body directly on top of the Mississippian's curvy one. Rogue blinked, finding her green-eyed gaze locked directly with Remy's intense stare, and neither of them moved, completely forgetting the mission proceeding around them. The thief's breath caught in his throat, and he opened his mouth to speak, but then the girl quickly shoved him off with her considerable strength before he could. As he flew back, landing painfully on his backside, she got to her feet and continued on as if nothing had happened.

He sighed in disappointment. The last time he had saved her in a Danger Room session their bickering relationship had advanced into a tentative friendship… He should have known better this time. It would take a lot more than a simple heroic act to mend things between them, but it was still nice to dream.

Now considerably more vexed, Remy attempted to focus on the objective, but found it difficult when Rogue was mere feet away from him, moving and stretching while wrapped in a skintight spandex uniform. Luckily the session lasted only another few minutes.

His eyes remained on his fellow Southerner all throughout Scott's subsequent debriefing, as he was determined to talk to her after their leader finished with his tedious speech. Up until this point she had always managed to run off before he had the chance, but today would be different! Finally Summers wrapped things up and dismissed them all, with Rogue swiftly taking leave, but he moved to intercept her and –

"Hold up there, Gumbo," a voice came from behind him, and a rough hand clamped down a bit too tightly on his shoulder.

"Logan," he said in a forcefully cheerful tone through his clenched jaw. "What can I do f'r y'?"

"Extra trainin' session," the older man stated gruffly, clearly not leaving it up for discussion. "Come on."

Remy wasn't surprised at this – extra sessions with the crotchety Canuck had been a regular occurrence recently, ever since his falling out with Rogue. No doubt it was the man's private method of justice, and if the Cajun just happened to be horribly maimed during the process it would just be an added bonus. He didn't think Logan knew the specifics of what had happened between them – no, if that were the case then he would have skewered him instantly. But the man was fair from stupid – he had gathered that Remy had done something to cause Rogue's recent foul mood. Kurt had come to that conclusion as well, and had started to be much more… well, curt with him. Still, that was better than the alternative of being ported to Antarctica…

Thus Logan began drilling Gambit through the more rigorous training simulations, and it was probably pissing him off that Remy still hadn't complained. He wasn't about to, either – that was exactly what Wolverine wanted. The thief was unsure whether it was due to his sense of pride or the fact that he felt he deserved punishment for his actions. Maybe both. At this point, he was far from caring.

"Computer, run program 1976-30B – Logan's Run," the Canadian ordered when they stood in the centre of the Danger Room, and around them a holographic projection of a dojo appeared out of thin air.

Stepping forward onto the straw mats, Gambit grinned cheekily. "What now, sensei?"

Wolverine frowned, clearly not enjoying the fact that his opponent was unruffled, but didn't say anything in response. He just bowed stiffly, a bushy eyebrow raised indicating that Remy should do the same. He did, not taking his eyes off the man – this turned out to be an advantageous move, since the next instant his claws unsheathed and he lunged forward.

Any witticisms on the tip of Remy's tongue were quickly pushed aside as the next while was solely dedicated to not being made into a shish kebob. Leaping to the side, he quickly delved into a pocket in his trench coat and drew out his bo staff, extending it to its full length. He knew hand-to-hand combat wouldn't be very effective against a man with an adamantium-plated skeleton unless he felt like breaking his knuckles with a single punch. Unfortunately Wolverine was too close for him to use his cards effectively, lest he blow himself up in the process, so the other weapon was his best bet.

Smacking the staff forcefully against Logan's jaw, the other mutant simply took it with a grunt and kept on coming. He swiftly swiped at the Cajun, who managed to deflect each attack by aiming his staff towards the man's fists, redirecting his blows. He had to be careful not to let it make contact with the sharp claws – the staff was strong and sturdy, but nothing was a match for adamantium and he didn't fancy getting it replaced.

His strategy had been working, but in the process he had been forced backwards until he hit a barrier. With nowhere else to go he threw himself to the side, hearing wood splinter as the blades missed him and shred right through the bamboo wall. Rolling back onto his shoulders while pulling in his knees to gain momentum, Remy then swayed forward and jumped back to his feet.

Wolverine's assault was renewed the next second, with the man mixing up his attack pattern by swiping down low at his knees. Gambit agilely leapt over the swing, placing a hand on Logan's shoulder and leapfrogging over his back as he bent over. He hadn't been anticipating such a move but the Canadian adapted quickly – pivoting on one foot, he brought the other leg up and around, hitting Remy from the side while still in midair.

His trajectory thrown off, the Cajun landed in an ungraceful heap. He had to twist around an instant later to avoid the fist aimed at his head, which instead connected solidly with the floor. It didn't even phase Logan, who laughed and enquired, "Had enough yet, Gumbo?"

He was already sweating and panting heavily, but the younger man grinned. "Enough? I was waitin' f'r y' t' get started, _homme_!"

He had been trying to irk his adversary and apparently succeeded, because Logan then growled and came after him with even more ferocity. It was all Remy could do to dodge and parry for the next half hour, as his breathing grew increasingly laboured and his drenched hair made little slapping sounds as it hit his forehead.

The thief's fighting skills were topnotch (you didn't grow up in the Guild without learning a few things, after all) but so were his opponent's, who had brawn, weaponry, and rage on his side. It was Remy's agility that kept the fight going as long as it did.

Wolverine must have decided that he wasn't getting anywhere and finally shouted, "Computer, end program!"

Remy was relieved for the chance to finally stand still, hoping his heartbeat would eventually return to its normal resting rate.

"Ya want to end this?" Logan then asked innocently – or at least, as innocently as a feral-looking man with claws protruding from his hands could ever sound.

His response was obviously yes, but the younger mutant knew better than to answer him. Self-preservational instincts were warring inside of him – did he tell Wolverine what he had done, ending his so-called 'training session' but very possibly getting himself killed for hurting Rogue? Or did he keep quiet about the fiasco but then possibly drop dead from exhaustion following more sparring?

There wasn't really any question as to which option was the more appealing one, so the Cajun played dumb. "End what?" he questioned easily. "I t'ought we were trainin'."

The Canuck snorted, shaking his head. "All right, if that's the way ya wanna be," he shrugged. "Computer, run simulation 65XF – the Gauntlet." Then with a self-satisfied smirk, he headed off. "Have fun, kid!"

He dashed after the other man, following him to the door, but the program activated before he could reach it. Now the rubble of a destroyed building blocked his way, and he skidded to a halt. Behind him he heard the heavy crunching of asphalt of somebody approaching, and he turned. Pulling out a deck of cards, he sighed heavily. "_Merde_…"

- X -

Nineteen defeated computer-simulated opponents and one forty minute shower later found the Cajun in his room, sore all over. He was used to working hard in the Danger Room, but hours of fighting would make anybody tender. His muscles ached something fierce, but in the grand scheme of things that didn't really matter. After all, it wasn't as if he had any great plans for today. Remy was going to pass the day in much the same manner as the rest of October had been spent – brooding. Depressing as it was, at least it didn't require much movement.

Slowly stumbling over to the window, he leaned against the wall and let his unfocused gaze stare outside as his mind began to run away with him. He had already gone for an entire month without Rogue because of Carol's turn, which had been trying enough, but now she was actually present and he was still without her. Not that he could blame her, of course, hence his moroseness.

He had screwed up big time. He would have staked his life on the fact that Carol wouldn't have mentioned Belladonna to Rogue… In retrospect, it was a good thing he hadn't made such a wager or he would be dead now. Frankly, the thief was a bit surprised he wasn't anyway, what with Rogue's complete and utter fury towards him. He had been expecting it sooner or later, what with Kitty's ultimatum to confess his misdeeds to her if he didn't, and he _was_ going to come clean, eventually… He certainly hadn't wanted it to be revealed like it had. He had planned to wait for the suitable moment, but now knew there was no such thing.

He let his head drop, lightly slamming his forehead against the windowpane. The weather outside was dreary and miserable – apt, really, because it reflected exactly what he was feeling.

Should he have been anticipating this happening? Yes, he had been well aware that he was playing with fire, but he had never thought it would blow up in his face quite like this. Had his luck finally run out just when it was beginning to matter most? Was it fate? Karma?

To be honest, Remy had given up on caring _why_ it happened – all he cared about was fixing it, but unfortunately, he had no idea how to go about that. Rogue had been avoiding him, which he had been expecting, but she was doing it in a much more efficient manner than he could have predicted. The only times he saw her were during Danger Room sessions and the occasional mandatory dinner, and on every occasion she managed to run off before he could corner her. He had tried to search her out and find where she was hiding the rest of the time (her room, the library, and the coffee house were the most obvious locations), but to no avail.

It was just as well, he supposed gloomily, for he had absolutely no idea what he would tell her if given a chance. What exactly could you say in a situation like this? He had kept not one, but two appalling secrets from her, and she had discovered them both. This was a girl that had been deceived too many times already, and he had just added to that count. The fact that she might have had feelings for him made him kick himself even more than he already was. A part of him felt sick, knowing that if she did care for him then surely his secret made her feel all the more betrayed. Another part of him felt extremely foolish, knowing he had ruined things when he might have actually had a chance.

Now he had undoubtedly destroyed every shred of trust she might have had in him. What could he do or say to make her believe he was utterly and wretchedly sorry?

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Kitty hanging Halloween decorations outside, and Remy suddenly stood up straighter. He was tired of moping around and pitying himself! That wasn't him at all – he was the ragin' Cajun! He had made a complete and total mess of things, but he would fix them. He was determined to. It didn't matter that he wasn't exactly sure _how _– the important part was that he now had an idea of where to start.

Throwing on his trench coat and dashing outside (despite the protests of his tired limbs), he tracked Shadowcat down at the front gate, where she was busy stringing up fake cobwebs between the bars. Maybe now he could finally talk to her without having her run off through a wall. Or at least, he would attempt to talk – there was no guarantee she would actually listen.

"Kitty?" he tried valiantly.

She looked up, startled, and then her eyes narrowed. "Oh, it's _you_," she spat. "What do you want?"

From her tone he doubted whether she really wanted to know, but at least she had given him the opportunity to speak. "Was hopin' I could talk t' y'."

"Talk? Yeah, let's talk," she agreed, crossing her arms. "Why don't we talk about how you lied to me when I asked if you were hiding anything? I think marriage falls under that category!"

"Uh, technically we're just betrothed," he corrected her quietly, but she took no notice.

"Or how about the fact that you were _dating_ Carol! Did that slip your mind too?" she cried acerbically.

"Well, it's not 'xactly de type o' t'ing y' can just bring up," he murmured weakly, and the girl threw her hands up into the air in frustration.

"Ugh!" she shouted. "You are _unbelievable_! I mean, my God, just _how_ many girls were you dating? Am I next on your list or something? I can't believe I actually fell for your crap..."

"Kitty, I swear, it wasn't crap!" he asserted strongly. "I meant everyt'in' I said – I really do care f'r Rogue!"

"Yeah? Then you sure have a funny way of showing it! Do you have any idea how badly you hurt her? I seriously can't understand how anybody could ever come up with an idea so twisted."

"Hey, it's not like I meant f'r all dis t' happen!" he defended himself, albeit half-heartedly.

"Oh, so you _didn't_ go out with both Rogue and Carol while engaged to someone else just so you could achieve some stupid status as a total player?" Kitty questioned sardonically. "My mistake!"

"I'm not denyin' I did all dat," he told her seriously. "But dat's not what it's about anymo'."

"I don't believe you!" she cried, throwing a ball of cotton spider webs at him. "How many times do you think you can lie to me? I've learned my lesson!"

"I'm not lyin'. Please, just let me explain," he practically begged her, his eyes wide and pleading, as he dodged the rest of the decorations Kitty pelted him with. He needed Rogue's best friend on his side – or at least, not completely despising him. She was probably the only person the Southern girl was confiding in at present, so perhaps she could pass on a message. "_Somet'in_' inside o' y' must believe me, if y' haven't gotten Logan an' Kurt t' maim me yet."

"Yeah, well, if it were up to me, I would have," she glowered, "but Rogue made me promise not to tell anybody."

He perked up at that – did she not wholly despise him?

"Don't get your hopes up, LeBeau. She wasn't doing it to protect you, she's doing it because she feels embarrassed and foolish. She doesn't want people to know about this, and I don't blame her. And also, she probably wants to finish you off herself – which I fully support, by the way!"

"Well, I won't stop y', but can y' at least give me a chance t' explain first?" he asked plaintively. He felt pathetic, but maybe that was what caused Kitty to pause in her tirades and consider him for a moment.

"Fine," she stated coldly after a few seconds. "Talk. Fast! And I'm not promising to buy it! In fact, for me to even _consider_ believing you, you'd have to have the biggest sob story in the world, with, like, homeless orphans or something!"

"Fair 'nough," he responded wryly, thinking that if he went far enough back in time then he could deliver that. "All I ask is dat y' listen. F'r Rogue's sake."

"Of course it's for Rogue's sake," Kitty scowled. "Do you think I care about you relieving your guilty conscience, or whatever? I'm here for Rogue. I either tell her something positive that gives her hope you aren't a complete asshole, or I tell her something negative that might make her feel better she didn't get more involved with you. It's up to you, so this better be good!"

Nothing about the truth was particularly good, he had to admit… Except for maybe his true feelings for Rogue. Hoping that's what the girl would concern herself with the most, Remy took a deep breath and began his appeal.

- X -

Curled up on a beanbag chair in one of the empty attic rooms, Rogue sighed and put down her book once again. She had holed up there for the past few weeks whenever she wasn't busy helping train the younger students or out aimlessly wandering the town, and she appreciated the solace it gave her (despite the dust that coated most of the surfaces). She just didn't feel like facing Remy LeBeau yet, so she took the cowardly route and hid.

At first the girl knew that if she had to listen to that sneaky thief try his excuses one more time, she would lose it. Then over the weeks her rage slowly diminished – now all that was left hurt and a resigned acceptance. A large part of her was disbelieving, wondering just how Remy could have done what he did. A smaller, considerably more cynical portion laughed, noting that she should have known better than to trust him and fall for him. That part did nothing to make her feel better.

Her emotions had been warring for weeks now, running the gamut from loathing to betrayal to rage to misery, and all the way back again. Often times they combined, until Rogue was unsure just what to think anymore. She had mentally gone over everything over and over again, wondering how this could have happened, and if she had somehow missed any clues.

In the process, she had come to a startling realization – she had no logical reason to be mad at Remy! They weren't dating, so he hadn't cheated on her, and it wasn't a crime to hide a fiancée from friends, was it? He had dated Carol, but could she really forbid the girl from living the small part of a life she had left? Much to her chagrin she found that she wanted to, and the selfishness made her feel even worse.

Even if there was no solid justification for her rage, logic really had nothing to do with it. Rogue couldn't help but still feel angry about it all. Angry at Remy, angry at Carol, and angry at herself. Her mind was consumed with melancholy thoughts, so much so that they distracted her from everything else.

In her hands she held a well-worn copy of one of the many Harlequin romances Kitty had stashed away in her room. It wasn't exactly a literary masterpiece, but she had figured a diversion from her problems would be welcome. The only trouble was that it served to remind her of them even more. After a month's worth of attempts she was only at chapter thirteen ("But Kiki, I only pretended to be your long-lost twin brother because I love you!"), because everything from the love scenes to the romantic misunderstandings to the love triangles brought her back to dejected contemplations about her own situation… How pathetic was it that she was jealous of characters in a romance novel?

Rogue looked for distractions wherever she could find them. She had spent a lot of time outside the mansion recently, even being so desperate as to offer Kitty company on a shopping trip. Further days at the mall would be too much too handle, but soon after she discovered a quaint little café in one of Bayville's back alleyways. She was lucky to have found it, since she didn't want to risk going to the coffee house she took Remy to. Not only would he think to look for her there, but it held some memories…

Visits with Kurt were always welcomed, even though he constantly pestered her as to why she was looking so glum. Still, he always had a way of making her smile, and that was something she could have used at the moment – if only he hadn't gone to the store to replenish the Institute's stock of Halloween candy (which he had almost single-handedly consumed).

Training was another thing she had thrown herself into recently – beating the stuffing out of robotic opponents (and Logan) helped quell her fury a bit. She had been a bit apprehensive about heading down to the Danger Room at first, knowing that Logan spent the majority of his time there, but her worry was unfounded. Yes, he pieced together that her and Remy were on the outs, but he was still Logan, and wasn't going to pry. And thankfully, he neither knew the details nor did he rub it in about his gut feeling being right. She had already sparred for hours today though, until Scott insisted that she quit hogging the simulation. That led her back to being ensconced in her hiding place, staring off into space.

Luckily her friend phased in the door a second later, giving Rogue something to focus on. "Hey," Kitty smiled at her, putting on a brave face for her like she always did.

"Hi," Rogue nodded in return, unable to summon the effort (or the will) to smile back.

When the younger girl sat down in a chair across from her and began absently picking at loose threads on her baby blue sweater, she could tell that something was on her mind and she was uneasy about voicing it. The Southerner didn't bother asking what it was, knowing from experience that Kitty would bring it up anyway.

"So, uh…" she began uneasily a few moments later. "I want to talk to you."

"Yeah, Ah gathered that," she drawled amusingly. "'Bout what, exactly?"

"Well, first I wanted to apologize."

"What? Why?" Rogue asked, alarmed. What did she possibly have to make an apology for?

"Because I feel bad about the whole Remy thing," she blurted out quickly, knowing Rogue would tense at the mention of his name, which she did. Kitty hastily went on, "I mean, I should have paid more attention to what Carol was doing! I feel horrible that I didn't pick up on anything between her and Remy… And not to mention that I was the one who convinced you that Remy had a thing for you! I feel like if I hadn't mentioned that then you wouldn't have gotten your hopes up, you know?"

Despite the situation being not at all funny, the goth couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Kit, yah have nothin' to apologize fo'," she whispered. "Ah don't blame yah fo' not noticin' th' two o' them – they were sneaky, _nobody _noticed. An' as fo' yah convincing me of Remy's feelings… Well, yah didn't make me feel fo' him, that was all mah own doin'. Ah guess Ah should've known better, huh?"

"Oh Rogue, that's not –"

"Naw, don't worry about it," she tried to wave it off, feeling like she was channelling all her strength to act so nonchalant. "It's like yah said, right? About not expectin' things ta last forever… Ah guess Ah saved mahself th' trouble o' goin' on a few dates befo' it ended."

Kitty's sad smile was all too understanding. "You don't have to pretend to be okay with all this – I know you're not, there's no reason to hide it."

"Ah'm fine, really," she sighed. "Or at least, Ah will be."

"Wow, was that some optimism I heard coming from your mouth? Amazing!" came a mockingly shocked gasp.

"Now what have Ah told yah time an' time again? It's just realism, Kit!" Rogue scolded playfully, a small grin breaking out on her face.

"Yeah? Then let's be realistic here," she stated, suddenly shifting back into a serious countenance. "You're hurt and confused, and we've got to do something about it."

The auburn-haired mutant groaned, burrowing deeper into the beanbag chair, hoping it would somehow swallow her up. "Oh lordy, don't tell me yah've come up with one o' yo' plans…"

"No, actually," she admitted slowly. "But a few minutes ago, I talked to Remy."

"What?" Rogue cried, jerking upright. She was unable to fight the sense of treachery that invaded her at the thought of her best friend dealing with the thief. "What'd yah say?"

"Not much," Kitty replied in a surprisingly calm tone, despite her shifting apprehensively. "I mainly listened."

"_And_?" What new lies did Remy have to feed them now?

She pondered her response for a second, and finally said, "And I think he has a lot he needs to explain to you."

"What? So yah believe him?" she exclaimed incredulously. Just like that, after all the lies and secrets? How could the girl be so naïve?

"I didn't say that!" Kitty admonished her. "Honestly, I'm still not sure whether I believe him or not… If I based my decision just on the way he talked to me, then I'd say he was telling the truth. And I _want_ to think he's telling the truth, but then knowing he lied to us makes me doubt him, so it's hard to say. All I know for sure is that if you want to move past this, in _whatever_ direction things head in, you should hear what he has to say."

"Kit… He betrayed me, an' it hurts more than anythin'," Rogue murmured in a hoarse, cracking voice. "How am Ah suppose ta trust him now?" All the trust they had managed to build up over the past few months had come tumbling down, and she wasn't sure if it could ever be repaired. At this point, she wasn't even sure if she _wanted_ it to be repaired.

Her friend pursed her lips and stared pensively. "I can't answer that for you – that's why I'm telling you to go talk to him yourself. You need to make your own decision about this, and see for yourself if you can believe him or not. Just pushing it aside won't help."

Rogue sighed heavily, wearily, burying her face in her hands. Kitty clearly wasn't going to give up on this, but she couldn't help but think the girl maybe had a point. After all, talking to Remy wasn't necessary equated with believing him and forgiving him, right? And maybe it would give her some answers, and some closure...

"Ah can't promise anythin'… But Ah'll think about it."

* * *

Oh, everybody's miserable. Somebody should do something about that! …Oh, I guess that would be my job, eh?

**Next chapter** – just what will happen when Rogue and Remy finally talk?

If I had a nickel for all the people that read but didn't review… Well, I'd be rich. And why would you want that? Come on, be selfish and keep all those nickels for yourself, all you have to do is leave me a few words!

Toodles,

– ish –


	18. Talk

**Disclaimer:** All I want for Christmas is the rights to Marvel and the X-Men…

**A/N:** Phew! Well, it didn't take me a month to update this time, aren't you proud of me? Funny how in the middle of my exam period, when I really _should_ be studying, I find more time to devote to my fics… Ahh, procrastination, how I heart thee!

Anyhoo, as always, many thanks to my reviewers! You're all muchly appreciated for taking the time to drop me a line – reviews always make my day, and I'll do my darndest to respond to them! Cuz actually, the new messaging system has grown on me…

But moving on. Ahoy mateys, new chapter off the starboard bow! Avast!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 18 – Talk **

**_October 2005_** - **_the next day…_**

It was too bad that the entire Institute was occasionally forced to eat dinner together. That meant Rogue had to calmly sit at the table with Remy only a few seats away, pretending like everything was hunky-dory when that was far from the case. When his duplicity had first been revealed she had used the uncreative but tried, tested, and true excuse of not feeling well to avoid meals. Unfortunately its effectiveness only lasted for so long, and since then she had been forced to endure this little bout of torture.

It was hard sitting there and purposely avoiding his eyes, because they always seemed to be drawn to him, as if by magic. Then there were the memories of the many jovial discussions they had shared over previous meals – every time she seated herself at the table they seemed to pop into her mind, rubbing it in that things weren't so happy-go-lucky anymore. On top of all that was the paranoia the girl had acquired. It felt as if everybody at the table was continually staring at them with curious looks…

But of course, that wasn't the case. Nobody knew about what had happened except for Kitty, who kept trying to engage her in conversation to get her mind off of less pleasant topics. Everybody else was going on with their usual dinnertime customs: Hank, Ororo, and the Professor were at the head of the table chatting about the latest mutant news on the political front, Logan was attacking his rare steak with gusto, Scott and Jean were fawning over each other, the boys were discussing the newest video game to hit the stores, and the girls were comparing notes on crushes and cute guys.

"– And then I said… Rogue, are you listening?" Kitty's voice broke through her maudlin thoughts.

She looked over to her friend, and had a sneaking suspicion that the girl had purposely placed herself to the left so she would be able to look away from the direction the Cajun was in. She had to applaud the strategy, and welcomed the opportunity to focus on something else.

"Sorry Kit, what were yah sayin'?" she inquired apologetically.

"I was telling Kurt and Piotr about our trip to the mall!" Kitty explained, knowing full well that Rogue hadn't been paying attention, and the exact reason for it.

Piotr smiled, hanging on to every word the petite girl was regaling him with. "It sounds like quite an adventure."

"Zat's vhat every trip to ze mall is vhen Kitty's involved!" Kurt laughed with his mouth full. "Just vait until she drags you along!"

"Surely it vould not be so bad," the Russian protested politely, and Kitty practically melted at his defence of her. He was a sweetheart, Rogue thought, but clearly had no idea what he was getting into regarding his interest's shopping habits. It was a good thing he was so brawny – he would have no problem carrying the plethora of bags she would no doubt acquire.

"Thanks Petey!" she gushed. "You'll have to join us next time! But ugh, I hope we don't run into any more awful salesladies again – remember that horrible one, Rogue?" she then asked, doing her best to get the Southerner to start conversing.

"Yeah, how could Ah forget?" Rogue decided to humour her, and smiled wanly. "She was quite a bitch."

"Vait, is zat ze one who tried to overcharge you, or ze one who told you to go look in ze children's section?" Kurt wondered with a puzzled expression on his face. The Southerner could relate – sometimes it was hard to keep track of Kitty's yarns.

Piotr didn't appear to have that problem. "_Nyet_ (No), dat vas de last time," he shook his head and explained. "Dis time it vas her saying dat pink vas not Katya's colour, vich is silly – I think it suits her."

"Aww, Piotr, that's so sweet!" Kitty squealed in delight.

Rogue silently agreed. The big lug was adorable, and exactly what the girl needed. She was glad for her friend, but as she stared at the pair she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. She wanted what they had… Maybe she could never _truly_ have it because of her powers, but she had almost been willing to take a step towards the next best thing. Then, of course, that hope had been shattered.

It had taken so much convincing on Kitty's part to for her to even _consider_ dating, and then when she had actually felt like giving it a try it had all fallen apart. She was sure there was some kind of irony present in all of it, but she felt too upset to analyze it right now. In fact, a small part of her was slightly upset at Shadowcat as well. If it hadn't been for her persuasions then she might have never allowed the notion of feeling for Remy to even enter her mind…

No, she quickly shook her head. None of this was her fault, she had only been trying to help. Rogue was angrier at Remy, and also at herself. How could she have believed his offers of friendship? She had been suspicious at the start, why had she then let him tear down her walls like he had? She should have known better than to trust that sly, manipulative swamp rat!

"Rogue, you still there? You keep zoning out on us!" Kitty interrupted her internal ravings once again.

"Yah, Ah'm listenin'," she reassured her, loosening the death grip she had unknowingly exerted on her utensils. She hoped nobody would notice the slight dents she had put in them with Carol's super-strength… "Go on."

She pasted on an interested expression and nodded her head every so often, but the other girl had only prompted more thoughts to form. Kitty had actually been defending Remy yesterday… Well, no, not defending him, per se – more like urging her to find out the truth from him. He had obviously told her something extremely compelling, and the Southerner was dying to know what. Unfortunately for her, Kitty refused to say anything, insisting she go talk to him herself. Cleary that meant she had found him convincing…

But how could she, after all his deceptions? What new web of lies had he woven now? She wasn't sure if Shadowcat had the best judgment here – it seemed her desire for romance and happy endings was impeding her sense of logic. Then again, her own judgment wasn't exactly sound either, being biased by her hurt feelings. Still, it would be up to Rogue herself to discern his truthfulness, and she was dreading it.

Discreetly shifting her eyes, the goth glanced over at Remy. He looked just about as miserable as she felt. He was pushing peas around his plate with a fork, not even paying attention to the giggles and coy glances Amara and Jubilee were sending his way.

What did he have to be depressed about? His little game had come to a halt, but surely he could start up something else with yet another unsuspecting, gullible female? Yet he hadn't given any indication of doing so, or of even wanting to. From the reports Kitty had provided her with, he had been moping about as much as she had been this past month, brooding in his own room when he wasn't searching for her. So just what did that mean? What exactly were his intentions? She was going mad trying to make sense of them!

The next second he happened to glance up, and before Rogue could avert her eyes, he caught her gaze. Time seemed to stand still, and the sound around them faded away as they stared at each other. It was the heavy, veiled look of two people that had much to say to each other but couldn't voice any of it, full of pain and longing. She was startled to see the obvious ache in his demonic eyes, and briefly pondered if it was visible in hers as well…

"Is there any love left?" a voice suddenly spoke from off to her side, and Rogue jumped in her seat. The spell was broken.

"What?" she gasped, looking over at Jean, dumbstruck.

"I said, is there any of the loaf left? The bread?" the red head clarified, directing a curious look at her.

Rogue had to breathe a sigh of relief that her mind had too much psychic static to be read properly, because who knew what would happen if Jean was privy to her drama! "Oh… Uh, no, sorry," she replied in a flustered manner, but then decided to take the opportunity to compose herself. Grabbing the empty basket, she stood and nearly ran from the room, calling back, "Ah'll go get some more!"

When she reached the kitchen she practically crushed the bread she grabbed, violently tossing it into the basket as she berated herself. Damn it, how could she have acted so affected? More importantly, _why_ was she so affected? She paced the tiled floor quickly, shaking her head. He had lied to her, he had been using her! He had been involved with not one, but _two_ other girls while going after her, one of which shared her body! At least she knew that they couldn't have gotten physical, but that was of little comfort. Remy had made her think that he cared for her as more than just friends, he had made her _feel_…

Unexpectedly there came the sound of a throat being cleared behind her. She swiftly spun around, only to come face to face with the Cajun. She tensed as they both stood there awkwardly, neither one saying anything. Then she began, "Look…" at the same time as he said, "Rogue…", and they both stopped again.

Fidgeting, Rogue managed to stutter out, "Go ahead."

"No, y' wanted t' say somet'in'," Remy demurred, seemingly having gathered some courage from hearing her actually speak to him without cursing his name.

"Nah, it's alright, yah can start," she declined, rapidly loosing her nerve. She had absolutely no idea what she would tell him.

"_Non_, please say what y' wanted to," he insisted. "I've been waitin' f'r y' to talk t' me all month now."

"Um, okay then…" the girl murmured unsurely, now reflecting on what exactly she was going to voice. She opened her mouth and was about to begin –

"Hey Remy, we need some more peas along with those carrots, okay?" Scott announced as he sauntered into the kitchen, causing both Southerners to jump in surprise.

The Cajun scowled at the young man for interrupting. "Y' couldn't have mentioned dat befo' I left? Or gotten Jean t' telepathically tell me?"

"Remy, what kind of team leader would I be if I used others to make my job easier?" Scott reasoned, and then shrugged. "Besides, Jean sometimes has trouble getting a lock you – you've got really strong mental shields, you know." Then he took a closer inspection of the two mutants standing uneasily in front of him. "What's the big deal, anyway? Is everything okay here?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Rogue quickly replied, her courage wilting under the scrutiny Cyclops was giving them. Holding up the basket, she needlessly stated, "Ah've got th' bread" and rushed out of the room, leaving a frustrated Remy and a baffled Scott behind her.

- X -

_**The day after that… **_

Across the desk, Professor Xavier eyed the girl worriedly over his clasped hands. "Are you quite sure you are feeling all right, Rogue?"

She was a bit fed up over constantly hearing that question directed at her over the past few weeks, but nodded anyway. "Ah'm fine."

He observed her silently for a few moments, making her nervous. The Southerner knew full well that he wouldn't read her mind without her express permission, and even if he did he wouldn't be able to penetrate her mental barriers easily, but he always gave the impression of _knowing_ things – and her personal issues were things she didn't want anybody apprised of.

He finally began to talk again, a frown gracing his features – almost as if he knew she was lying, and was disappointed. "Your rather melancholy mood as of late has been rather noticeable, which is why I highly doubt you are as fine as you say. You know I will not pry or force you to discuss anything with me, but I hope you know that my door is always open."

Rogue couldn't help but smile warmly at him. "Ah know, sir, an' Ah appreciate it, Ah really do. It's just… Well, Ah'm sure yah've managed ta guess that Remy an' Ah had a fight, but Ah'd really rather not talk about it. It's private."

"I understand," he inclined his head. "I hope the two of you manage to smooth things over. It will be nice to see you both getting along again, instead of being at each other's throats as you were for the first few months after his arrival."

"Yeah, that would be nice…" she said quietly, the smile on her face becoming much more brittle.

The psychic quickly changed the subject, no doubt sensing her discomfort. "Now then, are you prepared for your switch with Ms. Danvers tonight?"

"Yup," she stated simply. Perhaps a month away from the insanity of the mansion would do her some good…

"And have her or the psyches been giving you any problems?"

"Not any more than usual. No changes, really."

"Good, good," Xavier uttered. "Then I suppose that will be all. I bid you goodbye until next month, Rogue. Will you come see me for another session once you get back?"

"Sure thing, Professor," she agreed, rising from the leather chair she had sat in and leaving the room. "See yah next month then."

As she shut the door to his office behind her, Rogue couldn't help the conflicting emotions from churning inside of her as they always did following their little chats. She truly didn't know what purpose they served – it seemed like nothing could be done about her powers or the Carol situation, and she certainly didn't want to turn them into psychiatric sessions, with her spilling out her innermost feelings while lying on a fancy couch… But even though it seemed a bit of an annoyance at times, it actually felt quite nice to have somebody checking up on her. The Professor really cared, and she was grateful for that.

Pausing on her way down the hallway, the girl stopped to look out the window. The days were getting shorter, and it was already dark out – all the better for the trick-or-treaters that were out on the prowl. She briefly considered heading down to the foyer and helping to dole candy out to the kids, but then decided against it. She was extremely tired, and it would probably be a better idea to go and prepare for the switch.

She continued on the path to her bedroom, but then lingered again when she passed Remy's door. Her heart began to beat faster, and her feet couldn't be prompted to keep moving. A large part of her wanted to keep walking, but she remained in place. Was it the need to satiate her morbid curiosity over what had happened between them? Her taking Kitty's advice to heart? Or the fact that if she didn't get the story tonight, before her switch, that she'd most likely spend the next thirty days driving herself insane with speculations?

It had taken so much to simply utter a few meaningless words to Remy yesterday, and she had cursed Scott for intruding when he did and making her lose her nerve. Earlier Rogue had doubted she would be able to convince herself to try once again, and yet here she was. She quickly rapped on the door before her legs could be persuaded to run off. That urge was still present after she knocked, but then Remy appeared before her and she froze.

"Rogue?" he queried incredulously, as if unsure whether she was really there or not. With the way things had been between them recently, she could understand his surprise at seeing her approach him – heck, even _she_ was surprised at her bold move, but now the adrenaline was pumping through her bloodstream, and she had to take action.

"We need to talk," she stated authoritatively, deciding to adopt a firm and confident demeanour that left him no room to argue – which he didn't. He simple nodded and eagerly gestured for her to come inside.

Taking a steadying breath, she walked past him. She stood in the centre of his room, watching as he shut the door. She didn't sit, unwilling to get too comfortable – not that this conversation would be a comfortable one anyhow.

There was an awkward silence as the two mutants eyed each other guardedly, not sure who should speak first – since Rogue was the one to initiate the conversation it probably should have been her, but then Remy cleared his throat.

"I'm glad y' came," he began tentatively. "I need t' apologize to y'. I owe y' a lot more den dat, I know, but y' have t' know how sorry I am 'bout dis whole t'ing. I _never_ meant to hurt y' like dis."

Rogue wanted nothing more than to scream at him – how could he think this _wouldn't_ hurt her? – and it took every ounce of restraint in her to restrain herself. She settled for raising an eyebrow sceptically, indicating her misgivings. That prompted him to elaborate, and she bit her tongue as he continued.

"De whole reason I came t' New York was t' get away from my fiancée, Belladonna… It was an arranged marriage, t' ensure peace b'tween de Guilds – but I never loved her, _chère_. I can barely even stand her."

She took all this in, refraining from commenting even though she desperately wanted to. The thought of Remy LeBeau and marriage just seemed so incongruous, so it was hard to doubt that he didn't want to get married. But what of the rest?

She could see the bags under his eyes, demonstrating that he hadn't been sleeping well. Neither had she, for that matter, but knowing that he had been losing sleep over the situation made her feel a bit better. Whether that was because it spoke of his sincerity or because her vindictive side was glad he was suffering, she wasn't quite sure of yet. The Southerner didn't consider that question high on the list of things she wanted answered right now, she just focused on watching the other mutant before her.

"…An' den I came here an' met y'. Y' interested me, right from de start – but I'm ashamed t' admit dat at first I saw y' as a challenge, because of y'r powers an' y'r attitude. Den when I found out 'bout Carol, well… de appeal grew," he told her slowly, trying to be sensitive, but the brutal bluntness couldn't be removed from his words. "I hate t' say it, but de t'ought o' winnin' two girls in one body was… fun."

Rogue surprised herself by taking all that in so calmly – but then again, she had spent the past few years reconciling herself to such negative thoughts, so in a way, none of it was really a surprise at all.

"Ah can understand that," she sighed jadedly. "Well, that is ta say, Ah can't really understand how anybody could do somethin' like that, but Ah had a pretty good idea that yah saw me as a challenge right at th' start, remember? Ah just thought it might've gotten ta be more than that…"

Remy's jaw dropped, an alarmed and simultaneously guilt-ridden look emerging on his face. "O' course it was more den dat, _chère_!" he cried. "Dat's de whole point! We became friends, an' den I finally realized dat I want t' be more den dat – not because o' some challenge, but because I care about y'!"

She closed her eyes and gently rubbed little circles on her temples, disgruntled at how tempting it was to accept all that as the truth, even after what he had done and how much he had lied. "Gawd help me, Ah want ta believe yah," she grumbled, "'Cause Ah actually started ta care fo' yah too… But yo' credibility's been shot ta hell. What yah did was just plain hurtful, Remy."

"I know," he grimaced. "I'm not tryin' t' excuse what I did, 'cause it was wrong on so many levels, but it did clarify t'ings f'r me – like how Belle an' Carol in no way compare t' y'."

"Yeah?" she scoffed dubiously. She had no idea what his fiancée looked like, but her name implied beauty. She could picture some sort of leggy blonde that drove men wild, and speculated if anybody could prefer a sullen, untouchable girl over that. Even Carol, who now shared in her curse, was the bubbly, perky, popular type of girl that guys tripped over themselves for.

"Absolutely. Y're clever, y're strong, y're sweet, y' make me laugh, y' give me a hard time… An' of course, y're gorgeous."

He sounded so very sincere, and Rogue couldn't prevent her heart from fluttering slightly… but she was still cautious. "Ah've said it before, an' Ah'll say it again – flattery will get yah nowhere with me," she groused, stalling.

"But it can't hurt, henh?" he asked with an unsure smile. "B'sides, it's all true. Not t' mention, how could I possibly like someone who dots her letters wit' little stars an' hearts?"

The girl struggled valiantly to suppress a chuckle, which partially worked, as she let out a snort instead. "Oh yeah, real good reasoning there, swamp rat."

"Hey, y' called me swamp rat!" he perked up hopefully. "Dat's gotta be a good sign, _non_?"

"More like force o' habit. Don't get yo' hopes up," she snapped, but then took a deep, calming breath. Searching herself, she was surprised with what she found. "Ah think… Ah think Ah believe what yah've said, but that don't change th' fact that yah hurt me," Rogue professed. "Yah hid a fiancée, yah dated Carol, yah told _her_ about yo' engagement…"

"I've done too many dumb t'ings t' count," Remy told her frankly, stepping closer. "But I kept dose secrets 'cause I didn't want t' hurt y'. Stupid, I know, since dey ended up hurtin' y' anyway, but… Well, I didn't want t' tell y' about Belle 'cause I doubted y'd ever give me de time of day if y' found out I was engaged. I only told Carol so she'd dump me."

"Yah couldn't have been th' one ta dump her instead? Ah would've thought yah'd have plenty o' experience in that area," Rogue noted dryly, some resentment creeping into her voice.

The girl didn't notice him stepping towards her even more, distracted by his completely raw and candid tone saying, "I didn't want her t' hurt y'."

"Hurt me?" was all she could think to echo in her confusion.

He nodded. "I didn't want t' dump her an' den have her take it out on y' if she found out dere was somet'in' b'tween us… I heard about what it was like, her tryin' t' take control of y'r body, and I just couldn't take dat chance."

Rogue tried to fight the shiver that travelled slowly down her spine at the intense look he directed at her. Not totally comfortable with the gravity of the moment, she joked weakly, "An' here Ah thought yah were all about th' gambits."

She finally noticed how close the Cajun was when he reached out and placed his hands softly on her arms, inclining his head to stare directly into her eyes. "Some t'ings are too important t' risk," he told her with the utmost earnestness.

There it was. She couldn't help it… Maybe she was giving in too easily, but she believed him, God help her. How could she not, with the passion in his gaze and the remorse in his voice and the way he touched her and the way he looked at her… "Okay," she finally condeded in a hoarse whisper.

"Okay?" He couldn't disguise the hopefulness in his tone.

She nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

- X -

Remy tried to smother the grin erupting on his face – the relief over clearing things up wanted to shine through, but it still wasn't quite the occasion to give in to the extreme giddiness he was feeling inside. There were still issues to settle, he had to remind himself. "So what does dis mean, _chère_?" he asked nervously.

She smiled sadly, and he knew instantly that her answer wouldn't be the one he was hoping for. "Ah don't really know… Things can't be th' same as they were before. Yah broke mah trust, Remy, an' Ah can't pretend things can just instantly go back ta bein' all fine an' dandy between us," Rogue told him bluntly.

"I know dat," he replied carefully. "But at least give me a chance t' try an' earn dat trust back?" They were back to square one again, but he had managed to move past that before, and he could do it again. He was _determined_ to do it again.

"Yah can try," she shrugged, and his spirits lifted. "It might take a while, but Ah really do hope things can go back ta how they were. But after all this… Ah don't think it'd be a good idea if we were anythin' more than just friends."

"Just friends?" the Cajun couldn't help but parrot back dismally. "What? Why?" He hadn't been expecting Rogue to forgive him straight away, or for the pieces to be picked up easily, but after she had admitted to caring about him he was surprised to find her cutting off any further possibilities.

"Lotsa reasons," Rogue sighed, crossing her arms over her chest uncomfortably and looking down at the carpet. "All this has just proved ta me how complicated an' bizarre mah life really is. Ah was stupid ta get mah hopes up, thinkin' Ah actually had a chance at doin' normal stuff like datin'."

"Oh _chère_, please don't start spoutin' stuff 'bout y'r powers," he exclaimed, a bit more aggressively than he had meant to, but he couldn't help it – he was frustrated. "I don't care 'bout dem!"

"It's not just them," she defended herself. "Yeah, they're a big part o' it, but… Well, what about Belladonna an' Carol? Ah'm not bein' th' other woman, Remy, Ah refuse ta do that. Now Ah know how rotten it is ta be deceived like that, an' we weren't even technically together – Ah can't imagine how they'd feel if they found out."

"Are y' actually tryin' t' do right by Carol?" Remy questioned incredulously. "She was datin' behind your back, why not do de same t' her?"

"First of all, yah were an instigator in all that, so don't go pinnin' th' blame solely on her," she bristled indignantly. "An' second, it don't matter if she did it – shared body o' not, Ah ain't gettin' involved wit a taken man!"

"I told y', I don't love her!" he protested vehemently, feeling like he was singing the same song over and over again. Suddenly the anger she felt towards him and the anger he felt towards himself seemed overwhelming, and he got defensive. He wanted her to stop attacking him for a second, so he lashed back. "Y' know, y're de one who said we were friends, an' now y're insistin' dat's all we can be – if dat's de case, den y' can't really be mad about de other _filles_!"

"Excuse me?" she cried incredulously.

"I mean, officially we didn't have a commitment!" he reached out, trying to find something to justify his actions with. "It's not like I cheated on y'! Y' have no right t' be angry about me datin' Carol, y' insisted we just be _friends_..."

Her jaw dropped in shock. Remy reanalyzed his last remark and realized with horror that it sounded as if he was accusing _her_. _Merde_, that probably wasn't a good idea.

"Gawd, do yah have th' emotional range of a _robot_?" Rogue queried in disbelief, laughing in a slightly hysterical manner. "Don't yah think Ah know that yah didn't owe me anythin'? Mah mind may acknowledge that, but that doesn't mean Ah still don't feel hurt! It's not like things are black an' white, with me bein' able ta rationalize mah feelings away! Besides, Ah think Ah'm justified in bein' angry with you pursuin' me and makin' me think yah cared when you're dating someone else, not mention in mah body!"

He blinked, and a question popped into his mind. Continuing with this topic of discussion might be dangerous, but he felt he had to at least try, especially if there was the possibility of somewhat absolving his actions. "Would y' be more or less upset about dis if I did it with someone else?"

She frowned. "What do yah mean?"

"I mean, are y' more mad at Carol or at me? 'Cause if y' didn't specifically tell her she couldn't date while in y'r body – "

"Of course Ah didn't! I didn't feel th' need, Ah didn't think anybody'd be as crazy as yah to go fo' somebody untouchable…"

He swallowed down some guilt. "But y' didn't, an' she didn't know how y' felt about me, so she didn't do it t' spite y'. Y' have no real reason t' be mad at her either – unless it's because she took a chance dat y're unwilling to. So really, I t'ink y're more mad at y'rself," Remy concluded.

"Great, yah tryin' out some psychological crap on me now? Just 'cause Carol did somethin' doesn't mean Ah will," she grumbled, crossing her arms defensively. A moment later she shook her head, and glared. "Look, yah proved yo' point – Ah've got no solid reasons, but that doesn't mean Ah'm not hurt! In fact, Ah'm feelin' all th' more foolish now."

"I know y're still hurt, an' dat's why I'm apologizing, f'r all de hurt I caused. Y' feel betrayed again, I can understand dat."

"Do yah? Do yah have any idea how hard it was ta actually work up th' courage to admittin' Ah liked yah, an' then ta try an' do somethin' about it? An' then ta have it all blow up in mah face…"

Remy could see the tears building in her emerald eyes and began chastising himself – he was trying to make up with her, not make her feel as if she had done something wrong! He opened his mouth to apologize profusely yet again, but she continued to vent.

"Ah guess Ah should've known better than ta get mah hopes up, huh?" she went on. "But Ah suppose in a twisted way it's a good thing this all happened th' way it did – if Ah _had_ agreed ta date yah earlier then this all probably still would've happened, an' Ah'd just feel even worse."

"Y' don't know if de same t'ings still would've happened!" he quickly stood up for himself.

"Yeah, they would have."

"_Non_, dey wouldn't!"

"Yes they would!"

"Y' don't know dat!"

"Neither do yah!"

Remy was about to make his retort when he shook his head, realizing how immature they sounded. Taking a deep breath, he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to calm down. "Look, can y' try an' forget I even brought all dis up?" he groaned. "I wasn't tryin' t' blame y', I'm just frustrated about dis."

"Ah know… Ah get that, Remy, an' Ah am too, but Ah ain't changin' mah mind," she told him sadly, but firmly – the look in her eyes told him she wished it was different, and that give him hope, but the truth was that things were the way they were. "Besides, it really don't matter none – even if they were out o' th' picture, even if yah hadn't done what yah did, there's still th' whole no touchin' thing."

"So dat _is_ what dis is about!" he declared triumphantly, straightening up in victory.

"Haven't yah been listenin'?" she grumbled impatiently. "That's just a _part_ of it."

"Yeah, a _big_ part – y' just won't admit it," he insisted, seeing right through the barrier of morality she hid herself behind. The thief knew that she truly believed she was doing the right thing, and a part of him had expected that, but he had a suspicion that it was mostly her fear motivating it.

"Well, it's kinda obvious, ain't it?" she finally cried out, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "We can't be in any sort o' normal relationship!"

Remy cocked his head to the side and considered her. "Y're a very 'glass half-empty' _fille_, ain'tcha _chère_?"

"Well, yo' glass must be chock full o' bourbon if yah think this is possible," she scoffed and snapped back, her flashing green eyes now focused on the ceiling instead of on him.

He wanted to knock some sense into her so badly, because her argument was so ridiculous to him, that he opened his mouth and almost blurted out that Carol could control her powers. It would _have_ to make her see that they were indeed able to be reined in, and give her a glimmer of hope… Or, his fatalistic side piped up, it could blow up in his face, like everything else seemed to have done.

He thought back to what he had concluded before, about this piece of knowledge probably harming Rogue as much as it could help her – or even more so. Not only would she be devastated to learn Carol had accomplished what she could not, what would it do to have her learn that the girl was prancing around in her body with the ability to touch? Extreme paranoia was one possibility, but his more self-centred tendencies were more worried about her directing more anger at him.

Some of Rogue's rage had been abated. Yes, the situation between them was still precarious, but at least he had managed to make some sense out of it all. It was selfish, perhaps, but after all that he certainly didn't want to rehash her anger at him. Yet it was more than that, Remy tried to rationalize. He didn't want to upset her, and he was sure that's what the news would do…

Guilt festered in the Cajun's stomach, but he did his best to keep it down. He swore to himself that one day he would reveal it, somehow in a positive way, and it would help her. _He_ would help her… But for now he would just have to settle for saying assuredly, "Don't t'ink o' it like dat, as an obstacle. It's just a temporary inconvenience."

It was clear she didn't buy that by the dubious expression on her face. "Yah don't know that."

"I do," he insisted with conviction. If Carol could do it, why not her? Unfortunately, that swaying piece of evidence would have to remain hidden for now, so he stuck to general reassurances. "Y'll get control eventually."

"Ah doubt it," Rogue scoffed cynically. "Ah've tried pretty much everythin'."

"Look, dat's not de point. De point is dat we _both_ want t' be more den friends, _non_?"

"…Yeah," she eventually confessed in a murmur, blushing, but then quickly went on the defensive. "But so what? Even if we _were_ datin' it'd be like we were just friends anyway, since mah powers wouldn't let us go any further!" she cried. Remy wanted to correct her there, saying he would no doubt be able to come up with some creative ways to circumvent that (he had to stop himself from brainstorming some methods right then and there), but he let her go on. "Ah don't think anybody'd stick around in a relationship like that, Remy, especially yah."

His brow furrowed, and he felt a bit stung at her assumption. However, it was true enough – or at least, it _used_ to be. Now he was willing to prove that wrong, didn't that count for something? Not quite defeated, the Cajun decided to turn it back on her. "Well, how do I know dat _you_ won't be de one t' not stick around?"

"Huh?" came her ineloquent response.

"I t'ink I'm takin' as much of a gamble here as y' are, _chère_," he elaborated, each passing word being spoken with more zeal as he strove to convince her. "What if y're de one who decides t' end t'ings b'tween us? Or what if y' find someone y' can touch an' leave me? Datin's a risk, powers or no – y' never know if t'ings will last." He paused, watching as his words sunk in and the girl finally looked at him carefully, considering him. Knowing he had her undivided attention, the young man quietly stated, "I'm willin' t' take de risk. Are y'?"

He held his breath, waiting for her answer. He had certainly gotten through to her, that much he knew, but as to whether she accepted the message or not…

"Ah don't know," she spoke softly, and his heart sunk a bit. "Yah have a point, but it's a moot one – until Ah can fully trust yah again, an' until things with th' other gals are over, we can't be anythin' more."

"T'ings _are_ over wit' de other girls!" Remy insisted firmly. "Carol pro'ly won't ever look at me again, not dat I mind, an' I swear de last t'ing I want is t' be engaged t' Belle!"

Suddenly he froze, an idea forming in his mind to end all the arguments. Stepping closer to Rogue, he extended his bare hand. "Here – absorb me."

"What?" she shrieked in astonishment, jumping back.

"Absorb me," he repeated. "Dat way y' can know f'r sure how I feel about dem, an' how much more I care about y'."

"Yah… Yah can't be serious," she stuttered.

"As a heart attack," he confirmed. It wasn't an action he was particularly keen on, but if it would convince her then he'd gladly take a bit of a nap.

Rogue eyed him solemnly, and he could tell she was debating the merits. A minute later, she shook her head. "No. That's not necessary… If yah're actually desperate enough ta suggest that, Ah think Ah've gotta believe yah," she decided with a wry smile. "Besides, if Ah absorb yah then Carol might get th' inside scoop too, an' we don't want that."

"_Non_, y're right," he started with realization. He hadn't even thought of that, and was glad he hadn't given in to his earlier impulses to simply surprise her with a kiss.

"But… Thanks fo' th' offer. It's just that Ah think Ah'd rather learn about yah in th' normal way," she then told him, almost shyly. "It means a lot that yah'd be willin' ta do that though – nobody's ever volunteered befo'."

The Cajun had to stop and wonder about that. Had nobody else found her luminescent skin as enticing as he did? But he could see she was serious and that it was a sore spot with her, so he tried to lighten the mood. "_Chère_, I'm actually disappointed dat y're deprivin' me o' de chance t' touch y', unconsciousness o' no."

The words appeared to backfire, however, when a pained look manifested itself on her face. "See? That's what it'll always be like in a relationship with me," the Southern girl bemoaned. "It's always look but don't touch! Do yah really think yah could handle that?"

Remy honestly didn't know the answer to that. It would surely be difficult, and full of temptation, but he felt compelled to as least try, which was more than Rogue was willing to do. Opening his mouth, he was about to continue quarrelling when she cut him off. "Look, please stop fightin' me on this, okay? Considerin' th' circumstances, Ah think me offerin' friendship is a pretty big step right now. Even without Carol an' Belle, with mah powers it's all we could be anyway – it's just easier this way."

The thief was about to ask "Easier f'r who?", but then sighed heavily. He clearly wasn't going to make any headway, at least not today, so he decided he shouldn't push his luck. He would be satisfied with what he had accomplished – for now. "Fine. Friends, den? Or would y' prefer pre-friends again?"

Her lips curving upwards slightly, a sight he was glad to see. "We'll see, swamp rat… We'll see," she murmured.

"I'll take what I can get," he nodded, and despite the fact that their relationship wasn't exactly at the level of intimacy he wanted, Remy couldn't help breaking out into a grin.

After his actions, friendship was much more than he had been expecting at this point. He took heart, resolved that things would evolve further, just like before – it would most likely take some time, but that was something he had. Rogue was about to depart for a month, and he was determined to spend that time working on ways to convince her to her move past the safe and secure friendship stage. And maybe she would spend her time thinking about the two of them as well? He held on to that hope – and with the look she gave him as she said her goodbyes and returned to her room, his sense of optimism couldn't help but grow.

* * *

One step forward, two steps back? Or a few steps sideways? Or perhaps a jump to the left, and then a step to the right...

**Next chapter** – the next month isn't going to go as smoothly as Remy had hoped…

So, reviews, anyone? They'd certainly put me in the holiday spirit! And they might prompt me to deck the halls with another chapter in return… What a lovely (insert holiday of your choice) present that would make, no? ;-)

Toodles,

– ish –


	19. Temptation

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine… Must you keep rubbing that fact in my face?

**A/N:** Hey all, happy 2006! Gosh, that sounds so futuristic… Am I the only one who thought we'd have hover-cars by now? Anyhoo, hope everybody had a festive holiday season. Mine was quite lovely, although I didn't work on this fic as much as I would've liked… Oh well, with the start of a new term I'm sure I'll have even less free time, meaning I'll procrastinate much more, and therefore get a lot more done on this when I really should be doing other things. Funny how things work like that.

But yes, as always, huge shout-outs to my fabulous reviewers! I think I've replied to all of you, but have another sincere thank you anyway.

Now, on with the show!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 19 – Temptation**

_**November 2005 **_

The next morning Remy awoke feeling much better than he had in weeks. Recalling last night's lengthy conversation with Rogue, a smile crept across his tired face. Sure, he hadn't convinced the wary girl to move beyond friendship, but that she was even willing to offer that after what he had done was just short of a miracle. Besides, the fact that she cared for him gave him hope. He would settle for simple friendship with her for the moment, but things could develop from there – and he was determined to help them along. He would do his damnedest to get her out of her defensive shell!

As he went through his morning routine, stretching and dressing for a training session, the Cajun entertained several possibilities of how he could do so, and regain Rogue's trust. They weren't very fast-acting, because surely any course would take considerable time and effort, but just the knowledge of some sort of action being taken was comforting. It was even better when he thought about achieving the desired results, and that optimism lifted his spirits greatly.

The grin on his face turned into a curious expression a moment later however, as somebody knocked on the door. Remy's eyes widened when he opened it – at first glance he once again thought it was Rogue, but then he realized that none other than Carol Danvers was standing out in the hallway, in her black bodysuit bedecked with a red sash around her waist.

"_Belle_?" he asked, purposely using the name with less than pleasant connotations to remind himself of whom he was talking to.

"Remy," she began anxiously, wringing her hands in fret. "Can I come in? I need to talk to you."

To say that he was surprised to see her would have been an understatement. The thief has assumed she would be avoiding him like the plague after his little confession… Or, he considered keenly, perhaps she was here for an official break-up? With that pleasant possibility floating around in his head, he nodded and quickly ushered her inside.

He watched her stand there awkwardly. It was obvious she was nervous. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, unable to find the correct words. He could see she was trying to compose herself, standing up straighter and attempting to muster up what little poise she could.

"Listen," she began shakily, unable to meet his eyes. "I've been doing nothing but thinking about what you told me last month…"

She trailed off, and he had to stop himself from pressing her on, so eager was he to get this over with. Finally she just let out a small sob, and he was flabbergasted when she jumped into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck tightly.

"Oh Remy, I'm so sorry!" she whimpered, and his jaw dropped.

"Sorry f'r what?" he exclaimed incredulously.

"For reacting so horribly!" she moaned, burying her head in his shoulder. "I didn't even give you a chance to fully explain things! I feel _awful_, I hope you can forgive me for taking the news so badly – I was _way_ too hasty, and I jumped to crazy conclusions!"

He managed to force out, "Y' want _me_ to forgive _you_?", still not quite comprehending what was going on.

"Do you think you could find a way?" she questioned desperately, clutching tightly at his uniform. "I've had the whole month to think about it, since there's nothing else to do while stuck in Rogue's mind all alone, and I realized how much I was overreacting!"

"…Overreacting?" he repeated weakly.

"I know I should've waited for you to explain, but I was just floored!" she rambled on. "But then I had time to go over it all, and things are clearer now. I mean, you obviously don't want to be with your fiancée, whoever she is, or else you'd be home with her, not here with me! I was stupid not to trust our relationship – you've shown me how much you care, so I'm _so_ sorry I doubted you."

Remy stood there completely flummoxed, unable to grasp what had just happened. He had expected outrage, he had expected fury, but he certainly hadn't expected forgiveness! Especially _her_ begging it from _him_.

But he didn't want to grant it to her! He wanted nothing more than to yell at her for being so vapid, to reject her and purge her from his life, and the harsh words were on the tip of his tongue when the Cajun managed to stop himself. No, he couldn't do that – the whole point was to have _her_ be the one to end things. Unfortunately, that seemed to be something she simply wouldn't do. What on earth would ever prompt her to release her stranglehold on him? And he had thought Belladonna had been bad…

His mouth moved up and down, gaping like a fish as he tried to work out exactly what to say, but she beat him to it.

"This past month must've been tough, you dwelling on all this, huh? I'm so sorry to have put you through that, but believe me, I know the feeling!" Then she giggled upon seeing his stunned appearance, and some of her tension evaporated. "Aww, look at you, you're so shocked!"

"Y' could say dat," he managed to respond weakly.

"Well, you can relax now," Carol told him with a grin. "I can sort of understand why you kept it a secret – it must've been hard to tell me, but you don't have to worry about that anymore! Things can go back to the way they were, right?"

She was glancing up at him hopefully, and the thief mused that perhaps he could find a way to end things right now. He wanted nothing more than to just scream out, "No!" at the top of his lungs, but then remembered he needed to employ a little more finesse than that.

"I don't know, _belle_," he drawled out slowly, in a regretful tone. "Y'r reaction hurt." He meant literally, since she _had_ shoved him rather forcefully after his confession, but there would be no harm in letting her interpret it as emotional pain.

"I know!" she wailed, her eyes remorseful and teary again. Perfect – now perhaps Remy could suggest that things could never quite be the same between them again… But before he had the chance, her expression turned to one of determination. "But like I said, you don't have to worry!"

Slinking behind him, the girl reached up and grabbed his shoulders with her hands, beginning to massage away their tenseness. "I'm going to do my absolute best to be the perfect girlfriend!" she informed him resolutely. He rolled his eyes at that, but then couldn't help but groan in gratification as she kneaded a particular bundle of nerves. "You like that?"

A louder moan involuntarily escaped his lips as her hands proceeded with their ministrations. She seemed to take that response as an affirmative answer to her earlier question, because she squealed and wrapped her arms around his chest, leaning her head between his shoulder blades. "Oh, I'm so glad! Things'll be even more wonderful than they were, just you wait."

With her situated behind him she couldn't see the panicked look cross the Cajun's face, which quickly turned into a scowl, but before he had time to say anything she quickly released him and shoved him forward. "Now, come on, we've got a Danger Room session. I can't wait to work the kinks out of this body – at least, the ones that can be removed with exercise… Maybe later we can take care of the rest?"

She shot him a wink with her last words, and his stomach gave a little jolt. "Right," he sighed heavily, trudging slowly behind as she skipped along down the hall.

He didn't pay attention to her perky babbling – she was clearly riding high from what she saw to be the return of their relationship to her perceived status quo. Remy's mind was instead preoccupied with an overwhelming sense of trepidation, further exacerbated by an unhealthy dose of frustration. As soon as she turned the corner ahead of him and was out of sight, he growled and punched the wall as hard as he could. The force embedded his fist in the plaster, which crumbled out onto the floor when he extracted it from the hole he had made. Now there was telltale evidence of his anger, not to mention that his knuckles were bloody, but that was the least of his problems.

"LeBeau, y're a damn fool…" he grumbled. Just when he and Rogue had finally seemed to get on the same page regarding their feelings for each other, Carol was still in the picture! And now he had to find a new way to remove her…

- X -

_**Later that evening…**_

Carol had practically floated through the entire day. Not literally, yet that wouldn't have surprised the thief at all – she wasn't exactly an expert in being subtle. How she had escaped notice he had no idea, although he suspected that most of the mansion's inhabitants weren't too fond of her, and thus ignored her. Oddly enough, Kitty seemed to be paying her the most attention, but that was probably out of suspicion. She had no doubt noticed Carol's elated manner and would probably want to interrogate him about it, but he had managed to avoid her so far.

With the way his luck has been going recently, he should have known he wouldn't be able to evade her forever. Sure enough, she eventually found him in his bedroom, phasing through his door and standing over his reclined form with her hands on her hips.

"_Bonsoir, petite_. Y' don't knock?" he teased her, deciding to act nonchalant. "Dat's not very polite. How'd y' know I wasn't naked?"

"Don't lecture me on manners!" Shadowcat reprimanded him with a glare. "I need to talk to you."

"Fine, fine, but I was just tryin' t' help," he kept grinning. "After all, it pro'ly wouldn't be good f'r y'r blossoming relationship with Piotr if y' kept comparin' his body t' mine, henh?"

The girl's cheeks began to turn pink. "Whatever. You can't compare to him!"

He smirked. "Ahh, so y' _have_ somet'in' t' compare me to?"

"I… Uh… Shut up, Remy!" Kitty stuttered, blushing furiously, which eradicated her earlier stern manner.

He chuckled heartily. "Sorry, I'll be quiet. Now, how can I help y'?"

"Right!" she straightened up, her embarrassment forgotten in lieu of more serious matters. "So. Rogue came to talk to me last night, right before her switch."

"Oh?" Remy furrowed his brow. Just what did his _chère _tell her friend?

"Yeah," she said, and continued on casually. "You must be pretty happy at clearing things up with her."

"Believe me, I am," the Cajun asserted with a genuine smile. "It took a while, an' it was hell t' convince her, but I t'ink we've worked most t'ings out. O' course, our relationship isn't exactly how I want it t' be, but at dis point I'm sure as hell not complainin'."

"Just give her some time to come around," the other mutant suggested. "You can't really blame her for being wary, can you?"

"I know, I know…" he sighed, sitting up on the bed and planting his feet firmly on the floor. Propping up his head in his hands, he then murmured, "It's just… frustratin', y' know? Seein' her hide behind her excuses like she does… She t'inks she can't experience de t'ings everyone else does, but she _can_."

"Oh, I'm totally with you on that," Kitty agreed, nodding her head vigorously. "I've been trying to tell her that for _ages_. I think I was finally getting through to her, too… And then, not that I mean to rub it in or anything, your secrets came out and pretty much annihilated any chance of that happening."

"T'anks f'r dat," he told her wryly.

"Hey, it's true!"

"I know." That's what made it worse, of course.

"The point _is_," she stressed, "I'm not going to give up. I'm going to keep trying to convince her to give things a chance."

He looked up at the petite brunette, amazed at her affection and loyalty to Rogue, and he was infinitely grateful that she had friends like that. "T'ank y', Kitty."

"Oh, don't thank me yet," she commented archly. "I didn't say I'd be convincing her about _you._"

He blinked, a bit confused. Was he on her bad side again? He had assumed they had come to some sort of understanding. The fact that he had hurt her best friend wouldn't easily be forgotten, but hadn't he convinced her of his sincerity? And wouldn't Rogue's discussion with her have painted him in a slightly more positive light? "Uh, come again?"

Kitty eyed him stonily, reclining back on the edge of his desk and crossing her arms over her chest. "I noticed something _very_ interesting today… Carol seems on cloud nine, don't you think? I just found that a bit _odd_, considering she had supposedly just broken up with her boyfriend."

He lost colour, with absolutely no clue as to what he could tell her. Remy knew what he _wanted _to say ("_Petite_, y're lookin' at one recently dumped Cajun!"), but not only would she not buy it, adding more lies to the teetering tower he had already constructed would not be the smartest of moves.

So, he took a bracing breath and revealed, "Unfortunately, dat's not exactly true."

"Why not?" she quizzed. He was thrown at how calmly she was interrogating him – perhaps after all this drama she was used to it, and even expecting more?

He groaned, burying his face in his hands, because he still couldn't believe what had transpired. "Carol came t' see me dis mornin'. She _forgave _me f'r keepin' de engagement from her, an' came t' de conclusion dat since I'm not wit' my fiancée right now, I must care for Carol more."

"What!" Kitty shrieked, so shocked that she unconsciously triggered her powers and stumbled through the desk. Griping, she straightened herself up and stepped out of it, turning tangible once again as she began to rant. "Are you _serious_? Jeez, how dense _is_ that girl? She must be delusional!"

"Y're right, a girl would have t' be delusional t' care f'r me," he quipped sardonically.

"Oh, that's not what I meant!"

"I know, I know. Relax, I was joking." If he didn't find some humour in a situation like this, he would probably go insane.

Shadowcat began pacing nervously in front of him. "She honestly doesn't care that you're an engaged man? I can't believe this."

"Neither can I," Remy groused, before reaching out to grab her arm, causing her to halt. "_Petite_, could y' please stop dat? Y're makin' me dizzy."

"Oh. Sorry." She sat down beside him, and they both sighed in unison. "So, now what?"

"I have to find another way t' get Carol t' dump me," he responded. That was easier said than done.

"But how?" Kitty queried curiously.

"Dat's a good question…" The deed itself was fairly straightforward, but the problem was how to enact it. He wasn't sure, but suddenly felt a sense of drive and motivation. Nothing would be accomplished if he just sat around on his fine behind and hoped things would magically resolve themselves! So he stood up and began to head for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"T' see Carol," he answered forcefully, filled with eagerness – not so much at the prospect of seeing her, but rather at what could possibly be achieved by the visit. "Mebbe somet'ing can be done…"

"Like what?" she wondered, getting up and trailing after him. "What are you going to say to her?"

Remy shrugged, trying to appear more unruffled about it than he actually was. "Don't know. I'll just fly by de seat o' my pants, like I usually do… At dis point, I just feel like I have t' try _somet'ing._"

"Well, okay then!" Kitty clapped her hands together, apparently delighted that any sort of action was being taken. "Good luck!"

He knew she was absolutely dying of curiosity and itching to be there to see what happened, but the girl managed to force herself down the hall in the opposite direction while he went to see his (wince) girlfriend. He probably could have used some help though, along with some moral support…

When he found Carol in her room, stretched out across her bed, the grin she gave him was blinding and he lamented that Rogue didn't smile like that enough. As his eyes roved over the girl's gorgeous body, clad in sexy silk pyjamas, he also bemoaned that she didn't wear little numbers like that. Maybe he could change that? But not if this didn't go well, so he took the plunge.

"Carol, _belle_, I wanted t' continue our conversation from earlier, if y' don't mind."

"Of course," she said, mystified. "What about it?" Suddenly she sat up straighter. "Oh my God, have you changed your mind? Are you not forgiving me?"

It took a great deal of resolve for Remy not to say yes and run off. As it was, he didn't answer her desperate query, instead vaguely stating, "Are y' sure dis is what y' want?"

"What do you mean – being in a relationship with you? Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" she questioned in confusion, and then panic set in. "Why, don't you?"

He evaded answering directly yet again. "Y'll be in a relationship with an engaged man – dat doesn't bother y'?"

"No, of course not!" she laughed dismissively, standing up and walking towards him. "You obviously don't love her or you'd be with her, or pining away for her or something! And you're not – you're here with _me_. I think that tells me everything I need to know."

He inwardly grimaced – obviously relying on her moral sensibilities wouldn't get him very far. "Y' sure?"

"Absolutely," she nodded, taking his bare hands in hers and lightly running her thumbs over his knuckles.

"Okay den, whatever y' say," he sighed, and hoped she would take it as one of wistfulness or relief. "I guess I should go den. Just wanted t' make sure…" He probably should have planned this out better, because he didn't know what else to say or do.

He moved to pull away, but she didn't release his hands. Clasping them tighter, she stepped closer into his body and coquettishly whispered, "You don't have to…"

"What do y' mean?" Remy asked, his brain suddenly feeling slightly foggy from the warmth of her body pressed up against his.

"I mean," she whispered seductively, her eyes flickering towards the bed, "That you don't have to leave. You could stay…"

His stomach dropped, and he swallowed hard. "Do y' mean… As in …" He could barely voice the words, feeling as awkward as a young boy on his first date. "…Havin' sex?" He hated to admit it, but a part of him was tempted, writhing in excitement at the prospect – but the rest of him was filled with dread.

"Remy, it's not just _sex_," she chastised him. "It's making _love_!"

He almost wanted to gag when she said that phrase, but was then distracted by her soft hands slipping under his t-shirt and roving around his waist. She began to shuffle towards the bed, tugging him along, but then he managed to grasp onto her wrists and pull her off of him.

"Uh, Carol…" he began tentatively. "Y' sure dat's a good idea?"

She pouted. "Why not?"

Remy blinked. Did she seriously just ask that? Did she forget the fact that she was in another girl's body? She would be using it in ways Rogue certainly wouldn't have foreseen, and without her permission to boot! _Dieu_, would that make it rape? He blanched at the thought.

She must have noticed him pale, as she then asked what was wrong.

"Um, _belle_, don't y' t'ink it might be a bit… inappropriate?"

"No, not really. What's wrong with expressing our love?"

She really didn't get it, Remy thought in amazement. He felt apprehensive at mentioning Rogue's name at a moment like this, especially as she seemed to be the furthest thing from Carol's mind, so he searched for some other reason to get out of this extremely uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation.

Before he could speak further, she stared at him oddly. "You're not one of those people who waits until marriage, are you?"

His terror increased tenfold – marriage was the _last_ idea he wanted to plant in her mind! "_No_! No, dat's not it," he instantly denied. "It's just… Don't y' t'ink… it's a bit soon?"

She frowned. "I don't think so. I mean, we've been dating for months now, it's not like we're rushing or anything."

The thief cursed silently, wondering how on earth he could dissuade her from this. Attempting to draw on every ounce of charm he possessed, Remy peered deeply into her blue eyes and persuasively said, "Carol, I just don't t'ink we're ready f'r dis yet. We just had a bit of a fight… Don't y' want to let t'ings get settled again? Den it can be perfect, when we find de right time…"

He didn't mention that there would _never_ be a right time for them, but she seemed to accept his little speech, her gaze softening.

"Oh Remy, you're just too sweet, you know that?" she cooed, standing on tiptoes to give him a peck on his lips. "If that's what you think, then fine, we'll give it some time."

He smiled thankfully, giving her a quick squeeze to placate her, and then left as fast as he could. Time… Time was his current nemesis. He needed much more of it, so he could find the most strategic way to end things. And yet he also wanted it to pass as quickly as possible, because he couldn't wait for this month to end.

- X -

_**Two weeks later…**_

It appeared that Carol's perception of time passing was an impatient one. Within a few days of their conversation she was once again clingier than Saran wrap, only this time she was much more up close and personal about it. Unfortunately, along with being exasperating, it was also _enticing_ – she was temptation personified. To see Rogue's sexy body throwing itself at him was putting Remy's willpower to the ultimate test. His mind knew it was just that – Rogue's _body_, but not _her_. There was no way he could betray her like that – it wasn't just sleeping with another girl, which would be bad enough. It would be violating her body, letting it experience something she couldn't. And yet at the same time, although he hated to admit it, every fibre of his being desperately craved what might be his only opportunity to be intimate with her.

Temptation may have been trying to weave its spell over him, but so far the Cajun had fought it vigorously. Again he had taken to avoiding Carol, especially being alone with her – Kitty had helped immensely in that regard, as she had made a habit of keeping a watchful eye on the girl. Still, he knew it was only a temporary solution. He needed something more long-term, but had no clue as to what it could be.

Just as he had anticipated, his tactics didn't work for long. One frigid afternoon as the thief meandered down a hallway, a door opened to his left. A hand darted out and yanked him inside before he could do a thing, and he found himself in the library. Turning, he saw Carol shutting the door behind them.

"I know what you're doing," she announced without preamble.

"Oh?" he posed in an innocent voice, and tried to play off any worry as he casually sauntered further into the room and away from her.

"Of course! Did you think I wouldn't notice you're avoiding me?" the girl cried, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow as she followed him between the stacks.

Remy wondered when she had become so observant. "Oh, yeah, about dat, _belle_…" he began slowly, preparing to deliver another excuse. In truth, he had used so many recently that he was running out of them.

"Oh, don't be silly," she brushed him off, sashaying over with a sultry sway of her hips and placing her hands on his shoulders. "You don't have to explain – I think I know why."

"Y' do?" He knew she didn't, or else she wouldn't have been taking this so well. As usual, she was probably completely missing the point.

"Yeah," her voice dropped down to a lower, sexier pitch as she gently pushed him until his back hit a bookshelf. Then, to his combined horror and pleasure, her hands slowly began to trail down to his broad chest as she cooed, "I mean, if you've been anything like me, then you know how hard it's been not to jump you practically every time I see you…"

Remy tensed, sensing the heat her body emitted as it pressed so closely against his. With electric awareness, as if every neuron and receptor were firing at top speeds, he could feel her hands trace lower still, flitting over the rapidly hardening bulge in the front of his pants. All he could do was gulp. "There's just been so much…. _pressure_," Carol went on in a throaty purr.

He knew he shouldn't be engaging in this, and that he should stop it before it went too far, but with the blood rushing from his brain to more southerly destinations, Remy was hard-pressed to reply. All his world consisted of at that moment was the arousing feel of hands fluttering pleasurably against him.

Then the next second, coinciding with the sound of his zipper being pulled down, the library door was loudly slammed open and Jubilee, Rahne and Amara rushed in. Startled by the intrusion, Carol jumped away from Remy in shock while the Cajun was forcibly jolted back to reality. Peeking through the bookshelves, she turned back to him with a smirk on her face as the girls headed into the stacks at the opposite end of the room, chattering noisily all the while.

"Sorry about the interruption," she whispered slyly. "Shall we continue?"

"I don't t'ink dat's a good idea," Remy hissed, grabbing her wrists before she could reach for him again. "Definitely not wit' dem here!"

"Why not?" she pouted, and then grinned wickedly. "It'd be so _naughty_."

That was exactly the problem. It would be all _too_ naughty – not in the kinky, exhibitionist sense (which Remy didn't have any problems with whatsoever), but in the moral sense. He couldn't, _wouldn't_, betray Rogue like that! He had _already_ hurt her more than he ever wanted to…

The thief was upset. A primal part of himself felt so because the encounter had ended – now his body felt coiled up tighter than a spring, ready to burst, and it wanted the girl's ministrations to carry on. At the same time, a more logical part of him was angry at letting things get this far. It was no secret that he lusted after Rogue's body – it was the first thing he had noticed about her, but then the rest of her, her personality and strength and wit and charm, had all shone through. He wanted all of that, the whole package. Even though this could very well be the only chance he got to experience the sensual delights of her body…

And suddenly he felt disgusted with himself, and with Carol, and with the whole situation. Shaking his head, Remy firmly declared, "Dis ain't right."

Carol frowned. "You sure you don't want to finish this? We should take advantage of this time together, it's practically the only time Kitty hasn't been snooping around with her eye on us. Hey, do you think she has a crush on you?" she then queried in alarm, her eyes narrowing jealously.

"I doubt it," he told her resolutely, stepping away. "An' yeah, I really t'ink we should stop."

Thankfully she came up with her own reasoning behind it. "Yeah, I guess the girls are a bit of a mood killer, huh?" she sighed, as they could hear tittering voices drifting over, talking about how Bobby had pranked Ray with laxative-laced brownies.

"Y' could say dat," Remy muttered, extremely uncomfortable both physically and mentally. He couldn't get away fast enough, leaving a pouting girl behind him as he quickly slipped out of the room and ran down the hall.

He didn't know where he was going, but a specific location didn't matter too much to him at this point. He just wanted to get out of the mansion, away from any more of Carol's ambushes. As he trotted down the grand staircase on his way to the garage, he passed Scott on his way up.

A moment later, he heard the team leader call back to him. "Hey, Remy! Did you know your fly's undone?"

- X -

_**A few days after that… **_

Seeing as the situation in the library had been much too tempting, Remy thought it prudent to change tactics – regrettably though, the strategy so far only entailed hiding, albeit in plain view. He took extreme care to remain in very public places, making sure to have plenty of the mansion's other residents around, to the point of paranoia. This way Carol couldn't complain about him holing up somewhere and avoiding her, or be too suspicious about Kitty's constant monitoring. The most important thing, however, was that she also couldn't get too close for comfort.

Of course, he knew she would only be put off for a short period of time, and sure enough, mere days after the library incident she came knocking at his door. When he opened it, his mouth went dry at the sight of her in a tight green shirt and extraordinarily short miniskirt, and alarm bells instantly went off in his head.

"Hey you," she murmured, slinking by him and into his room, shutting the door on the way. She headed straight for his bed, sitting down and crossing her legs in a way that showed them off and made Remy goggle. "You busy?"

"_Non_, not really," he informed her with regret and trepidation. "Why?" As if he didn't know – she was probably going to try and seduce him again…

"Well," she drawled out slowly, reclining back on the mattress and letting her shirt ride up to expose her navel, "Nobody's around this evening, and I was thinking that maybe we could finally have some time to ourselves…"

"Uh, _belle_, I'd like dat, I really would, but –"

"But what?" she interrupted, irritated. She sat up quickly and folded her arms, which provided Remy with quite an interesting view of her chest. "What kind of excuse are you going to make up this time? Jeez, I never figured you for such a prude!"

"Believe me, I'm no prude," he denied. Actually, he was a bit amused at the accusation, since that was one thing he had never before been called in his life. Most of the time it was exactly the opposite, actually… "It's just dat –"

"What? Do you not find me attractive or something?" she wailed. "It's this body, isn't it? I'm too _fat_!"

"_Quoi_? _Non_, o' course not! Y're absolutely gorgeous," he told her honestly. "Uh, it's because… Er…"

Carol sat there impatiently waiting for a reason, and Remy realized that maybe it was time she finally clued into things. "Well, losin' y'r virginity is a big step, don't y' t'ink?" he blurted out.

She squinted in confusion. "Yeah… But I'm not a virgin."

He certainly hadn't been dwelling under that assumption, but prevented himself from voicing it by remembering that tact was of the essence. "_Oui_, but I t'ink Rogue is."

Carol blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I mean, do y' t'ink it's right t' do dis in Rogue's body? Dere's no way she'd be okay wit' it, especially since it's somet'in' she's never experienced…" he put forward tentatively, unsure as to how exactly she would take such apparent concern about the other girl.

"Then I'd be doing her a favour, wouldn't I?" she replied cavalierly, arching an eyebrow. "If anybody needs to get laid, it's her. She's so damn frigid sometimes…"

His eyes widened at her callous attitude. Was she seriously not getting this? "I t'ink y're missing de point," the Cajun elaborated cautiously. "It's her body, shouldn't she have a say in what goes on wit' it? Doesn't she have a right t' experience it?"

"No, I think _you're_ missing the point!" Carol shrieked, springing to her feet and beginning to rage caustically. "Because of what _she_ did to _my_ body, this one's mine now, and I should get a say in what it does too! I've only got half a life now, why should I be denied what I want in the time I actually get to live?"

"Carol, t'ink about what Rogue would feel!" he beseeched her. "What if de situations were reversed? How would y' like it if she slept wit' some random guy?"

"Oh please, like she could bag _anybody_, let alone a guy like you," she scoffed, waving his concern aside. "Besides, when did you start caring so much about her?"

He opened his mouth, unsure of what exactly he would say, but thankfully she resumed her rant. "What about _me_? Doesn't it matter what _I_ want? My God, do you have any idea how long it's been since I've been with a guy? Do you think my old boyfriend wanted anything to do with me when I showed up in another body? I have needs too, you know!"

Remy scoured his mind for something, _anything_ that would stop not only Carol's tirade but her thoughtless yearnings as well. Suddenly he was hit with inspiration, a brilliant idea he prayed would work, and he knew that appealing to her self-centredness would be the most effective route.

"I'm sorry, _belle_, I didn't mean f'r it to come out like dat. I _am_ tryin' to t'ink about y'!" he insisted, doing his best to sound sincere. "I just don't t'ink it's fair to y' f'r us to –" he braced himself here, trying stifle his disgust, "– _make love_ while I still have a fiancée! I mean, dat makes y' de other woman… Y're more den dat."

Remy held his breath, hoping she would buy the lie. Technically, she was the _other_ other woman… But she didn't seem to care about the specifics.

"You really mean that?" she breathed, a starry-eyed look appearing on her face that slowly replaced the angry one.

"Absolutely," he clenched his teeth. "Y're more den just de other woman…" She was much worse, really, but he wasn't about to tell her that. "So why don't we wait 'til dis arrangement is all cleared up so y' can get what y' deserve?"

Remy could have sworn he saw tears in the corner of her baby-blues. "Really?"

"O' course," he lied.

"That is _so_ incredibly sweet!" she gushed, throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms around him tightly. Once again, her anger was forgotten in an instant – he vaguely spared a thought to whether she was bipolar, or just extremely gullible. "Nobody's ever cared this much about me! How on earth can you be so perfect?"

The thief grinned wryly. "Uh, lots o' practise?"

Carol giggled, and then to his immense relief, nodded. "Okay, hon. I just can't say no to you – if you wanna do this for me, then we'll wait."

"_Bien_," he sighed gratefully. "Den… How about I contact _ma famille_ an' tell dem I fell f'r someone else, an' we'll see if t'ings can be settled."

It would technically be true, after all… Carol would just be assuming that _she_ was the object of his affections, oblivious as usual to his true intentions. With any luck, prostrating himself before his family could possibly resolve some issues with Belladonna, and maybe also buy him some time to figure out how to end the sticky situation with Ms. Marvel. It was win-win! In theory, at least…

"Sounds great – just hurry, okay? I don't want to wait much longer. You're awfully tempting, I hope you know," she winked.

"So are y', _belle_," Remy agreed readily, wondering how long it was be until he was with Rogue and Rogue _only_. He had to do it before temptation became too much for him…

* * *

Oh Remy, he's in a dilly of a pickle now… Hah, as if he wasn't before! ;-)

**Next chapter** – will a call to the Guild be of help to our Cajun? Depends on who answers the phone, I suppose...

Readers, please review / I don't know how else to ask / Will a haiku do?

Toodles,

– ish –


	20. Help

**Disclaimer**: Not mine! (I can't think of a more creative way to say that at the moment…)

**A/N**: So, you know when I said that I'd have less free time and thus procrastinate more, finding more time to write this fic? Turns out that the former is true, but not so much the latter. Curse all the work I have to do! Unfortunately this means updates less often, but rest assured that I'll still do my best in attempting to churn them out. Thanks to all my reviewers for encouraging me, as always your words are much appreciated. Hopefully this new chapter will have been worth the wait?

**

* * *

Symbiotic**

**Chapter 20 – Help**

_**November 2005 - the next day…**_

Remy had faced Assassins, super-powered mutants, and angry women with aplomb, but there he was, staring at the telephone and afraid to pick it up. The conversation that would ensue could determine so many things… He tried to look on the bright side, believing that even if his engagement issues weren't resolved, things couldn't really get much worse. The next second he winced, chastising himself for thinking that and probably jinxing himself in the process. Of course things could get worse! What if he got called back to New Orleans? What if Belladonna insisted on having the wedding instantly, tired with the wait?

He almost began hyperventilating, but then shook his head and calmed down. That was highly unlikely… For one, he would be circumventing normal Guild routes, talking to people that were actually inclined to offer him assistance – and most importantly, people who weren't Belle. But come to think of it, he actually hadn't had contact with her in ages… That not only made him happy, but gave him hope as well. If she hadn't tracked him down in a snit yet, demanding to know why he was neglecting her, then perhaps she had stopped caring? Well, that would be too perfect, and he didn't want to be disappointed by putting too much stock in that thought. At least it was enough to prompt him to pick up the receiver and dial the familiar number.

"'Allo?" came a warm voice from the other end, and a smile broke out on Remy's face.

"_Bonjour_, may I please speak t' de lady o' de house?" he teased, and he could practically hear the wide, white-toothed grin break out on Mattie Baptiste's dark face.

"Remy LeBeau!" she scolded, but without a hint of anger. "About time y' called, boy! It's been weeks since we've heard from y' – f'r shame, makin' an old lady worry. My heart can't take it!"

He chortled, and did his best to sound penitent. "_Je __suis __desolé_, _Tante_, but y're far from bein' old. Y'r as healthy as a horse an' as stubborn as a mule – y'd give de Grim Reaper a hell of a lot o' trouble if he came after y'."

"Watch y'r mouth!" she admonished him, which she did whenever he cussed in her presence. She was probably still wagging that finger at him like she always had, even though he couldn't see it – after having done it so many times the action was probably reflexive by now. "Y' ain't gettin' off de hook wit' me wit' just a few kind words. Why on earth haven't y' been callin'?"

"Well, t'ings have been kinda crazy 'round here," was his pitiful defence.

"Hmph, dat's no excuse. Well, have y' been eatin' right?" she grilled him forcefully, and he could picture her slapping her spatula threateningly against one hand.

"_Oui__, Tante_. Well, as right as dis northern food can be, anyway. Don't use enough spices f'r my tastes."

"An' what about sleepin'? Y' sound beat – y' gettin' a full eight hours each night?"

"I wish," he lamented, sitting down on his bed. "Like I said, t'ings have been… complicated."

"Oh? How so? I hope everyt'ings all right…"

"Just a bit o' trouble wit' one o' my housemates," he explained, trying to play it off with nonchalance.

It was no good – he should have known better than to try and pull a fast one over the woman. There must have been some sort of subconscious signal he was unknowingly sending out, because she slyly asked, "Trouble? Hmm, it wouldn't happen t' be _girl_ trouble, would it?"

The thief's jaw dropped. "How… how did y' know?"

Mattie laughed jovially. "Remy, _cher_, y' forget dat I practically raised y', Henri, an' all yo' cousins! I can tell dese t'ings. Of course, I'm a bit surprised it's _you_ havin' problems, since y' always were de best one at wooin' de _femmes_, but I suppose one would have t' get y' beat eventually. So, it's dat Rogue _fille_, henh?"

He closed his eyes and groaned. "_Dieu_, am I dat obvious?" First Kitty had noticed, and now Mattie… He was losing his touch!

During his last chat with Mattie, he had told her about the girl he had his eyes on, but he thought it had been done in an inconspicuous manner – he had interspersed tales of their seemingly-neutral friendship between stories about the other X-Men, taking care not to talk about Rogue too often, or with too much affection… How on earth had a woman over one thousand miles away picked up on his feelings before he himself had?

But then again, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised – after all, she had always seemed to know everything, from when he snuck out for a night of drinking to when he pilfered biscuits from the cookie jar. He may have been blessed with preternatural thieving abilities, but he had never been able to sneak anything by her omniscient eye.

"Don't worry," she reassured him. "I just know de signs. It was all in de way y' talked about her – tryin' t' be impartial, y'r tone o' voice… Not t' mention dat I don't t'ink y've ever been just friends wit' a _femme_. Now, tell me, chile – what be de problem?"

"Well, dere's a few o' dem, an' dey're all because o' my stupidity," Remy bemoaned. He didn't want to go over the complicated story in its entirety, so he settled for a brief summary. "I started somet'in' wit' another _fille_, an' den realized Rogue was de one f'r me. Tried t' get rid o' de other one, Carol, by tellin' her I was engaged, but den she told Rogue. Dat backfired magnificently, since now Carol's decided she doesn't care about de engagement, an' Rogue won't be anyt'in' but friends while Carol an' Belle are still in de picture."

There was stunned silence for a few moments, and Remy had an inkling as to what was coming. "Remy Etienne LeBeau! I should slap y' silly! How could y' treat de _filles_ like dat? Didn't I teach y' better?" came the enraged screeching, which he suspected could be heard all the way from the Big Easy even without the telephone held up to his ear.

He already knew what he had done was wrong, and he already felt horrible about his actions, but there was something so much worse about being chastised by Mattie. Hanging his head, Remy mumbled, "_Oui__, Tante_, I know y' did…"

"De poor girls! Y' were taught t' respect de _femmes_, Remy, did dat all leave y'r head de moment I wasn't dere t' knock some sense int' y'?"

"Apparently…"

"_Dieu_, I knew y' liked t' flit from one _femme_ t' another, but dis is ridiculous!"

"I know, _Tante_, I know!" Remy cried remorsefully, falling back on his bed and throwing an arm over his eyes. "Believe me, I feel bad enough about dis already! Been beatin' myself up about it constantly, I don't t'ink y' need to keep it up!"

"Hmph," she grumbled. "Well, I t'ink y' need a good wallop wit' my trusty spatula, boy."

He winced at the thought, knowing she wasn't joking. Forcing himself to move beyond recollections of past slaps he had endured from the lethal utensil, the Cajun forged ahead. "Y're pro'ly right, but I also need help. Dat's why I'm callin'. Besides de fact dat I missed y', of course." A little flattery never hurt!

After years of exposure Mattie had grown immune to his charms, but it seemed like a few months away had worn down her resistance somewhat. He could tell she was rolling her eyes, but she spoke in a slightly less irate tone. "What kind o' help?"

He beamed, knowing he could count on her. Of course, he had always suspected he was her favourite out of all the Guild boys, so that probably played a part. But not really caring _why_ she was offering aid so much that she _was_, he began to explain. "I told Carol dat we'd, uh… put our relationship on hold until I settled t'ings wit' Belle, even though she really didn't care about her. I figure it'll buy me some time t' figure out how to end t'ings wit' her, an' it can't hurt since I'd have to clear de engagement mess up anyway if I want t' be wit' Rogue."

"Sounds like dat one's got a good head on her shoulders," Mattie approved. "Not sure I like de sounds o' de other one though – Carol, y' said? Why not just end t'ings wit' her now?"

If only he could! But he didn't want to go into the whole body-sharing explanation. After she got over the shock of hearing about it, she would undoubtedly reprimand him some more, which though he deserved, he didn't need right now. He wanted to get all this settled before Carol barged in on him, which she would probably do soon. So he just sighed, "It's complicated."

"Clearly," she deadpanned, and then sighed herself. "Y've got y'rself into quite de predicament, chile. Y'll have t' talk t' Henri, he can pro'ly help y' more den I can. But I _can_ give y' some advice – an' dat's to make _damn_ sure y' know what y're gettin' into!"

"I do, _Tante_," Remy told her firmly. "I want Rogue. Took me long 'nough t' realize dat, but now I'm sure an' I'm goin' to do what I can t' make it happen."

"Never t'ought I'd see de day…" she murmured wistfully, so quietly that he barely heard her, but before he could ask what she meant, she continued. "_Bien_. Den make sure y' do right by her, henh? She sounds like a nice girl."

"_Oui_, she is – when y' don't get her angry, dat is," he confirmed fondly, and Mattie chuckled.

"Den good luck, _cher_. She must be special if she hasn't fallen f'r y'r charms, but y' always were a stubborn one… An' on dat note, I'll go get Henri. I t'ink he's got some good news f'r y'."

"_Merci__ beaucoup, __Tante_," the thief thanked her, feel a bit nostalgic. "Talk to y' soon."

"Y' damn well better, boy! Keep me posted on how y'r quest goes, henh?" she laughed, and then before he could reply she put down the phone and went to find the other LeBeau son.

A few minute later he was pleased to hear a familiar teasing voice in his ear. "_Bonjour, __mon__ frère_. How's dat control o' y'rs progressin'?"

"Very funny, Henri," he drawled sarcastically. His brother was one of the few who knew full well that his leaving New Orleans was based on false pretences.

"I t'ought it was," the man joked. "But really, how are t'ings? _Tante_ said y' needed a hand wit' somet'in', an' from de way she was rollin' her eyes an' scowlin', no doubt y've gone an' gotten y'rself into trouble. Again."

"Ah, y' know me too well," Remy smirked wryly, and proceeded to give Henri a quick rundown of the situation. He did, however, include the extra drama of Rogue and Carol sharing a body, as he figured his brother would be more understanding about it. Similar male drives and impulses and all that, right?

"Well…" he finally whistled after being regaled with the tale. "Y've dug y'rself a fine hole, but I can't say dat's anyt'in' unusual. I'm much more interested in de fact dat y've actually gone an' fallen f'r a _fille_!"

Remy should have been thankful that the man hadn't judged his actions, but withstanding his razzing would probably be just as bad. "Dat's beside de point if y' don't help me!" he pointed out, annoyed. Why had he forgotten that asking Henri for assistance, since it so rarely happened, was always accompanied by brotherly jibes?

"Hey, come on, y' teased me plenty when I was courtin' Mercy – I t'ink it's time f'r some payback, henh?"

"Or y' could be de bigger man an' forget about dat," Remy suggested hopefully, and tried to steer the focus away from himself. "Speakin' of, how is my favourite sister-in-law?"

"She's fine, but I'd much rather hear about dat girl o' y'rs. Or should I say _girls_?"

The younger Cajun groaned. "Y're cruel, y' know dat?"

"I know," he acknowledged. "But if I'm goin' t' help y', I'd like t' know a bit more about whether or not it's a worthy cause."

"Oh, she is, trust me," Remy proclaimed, his tone turning wistful without him even realizing it. "Smart, funny, doesn't take any o' my crap, an' she's possibly de most _belle __fille_ I've ever laid eyes on. Her other half doesn't compare t' her – nobody really does."

"Aww, my ears are burning!" came a saccharine voice from the doorway.

Immediately whirling and glancing over, he saw Carol propped against the doorjamb and fell off the bed in shock. "_Merde_!" he cried, catching himself before hitting the floor. Just how much had she heard? He needed to put a bell on that girl or something… Trying to recall what he had just said, he wondered if anything incriminating had been mentioned.

"Oh, are you okay, hon?" she cried, rushing over to coddle him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I was just wondering where you snuck off to!"

"Which one's dat?" Henri questioned on the other end of the phone, obviously able to hear the girl's shrill voice through the receiver.

"Which one do y' t'ink?" Remy groused quietly as he tried to swat her away. She just persistently attempted to inspect him for injuries he might have sustained in his minor stumble. He tried to take heart, knowing that her fussing over him must have meant she hadn't heard anything to anger her, but he found her actions too annoying and patronizing to put any sort of positive spin on them. "Don't worry, _belle_, I'm fine!"

"Oh, y' t'ink I'm _belle_? Why t'anks, I had no idea y' felt dat way about me!" Henri cooed amusedly, before his tone turned silky. "So, from what y've told me, I'm guessin' dat must be Carol."

"Hold still, sweetie!" she insisted, still fussing over him. "I thought I saw you hit your head on the bedside table, let me check! I can kiss it better!"

His brother burst out in mirthful laughter. "Aww, does wittle Wemy have a boo-boo?" he taunted in baby-talk.

"Shut up!" he snapped, irritated.

"What?" Carol blinked, shocked. "Did you just tell me to shut up?"

"No, your little cuddlecakes would _never_ do dat," Henri continued to cackle.

"_Non_, o' course not," Remy ignored him, turning to the girl. "I said dat t' de phone, not y'."

She finally noticed the handset he was holding. "Oh, sorry! Who are you talking to?"

"_Mon frère_, Henri." She just started at him blankly, and he clarified, "My brother, Henri."

"Oh!" she brightened, leaning in towards the receiver and shouting, "Bon-jer, Henry!"

"_Dieu_, must she mangle de French language dat way?" the thief with the mispronounced name wailed, in agony over her horrid pronunciation.

"_Desolé_," he sympathized before turning back to Carol and telling her with false cheer, "He says hello back!"

"So, what are you two chatting about?" she asked curiously, plopping down on Remy's bed and pulling him over beside her.

"About how annoyin' y' are," Henri snorted.

Remy had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing, and managed to conjure up enough sombreness to tell her, "We're tryin' t' work out de situation wit' my engagement, actually."

"Really?" She sat up straighter in anticipation. "How's it going?"

"Y' know, mebbe we shouldn't do anyt'in' about y'r engagement after all – I'm almost t'inkin' Belle would be better den her…" the other LeBeau mused teasingly.

"Dat's not funny," Remy scowled, which made Carol widen her eyes in alarm.

"What? What's not funny? Did something go wrong?"

"I wasn't talkin' t' y'," he tried to explain patiently.

"Mebbe she has trouble understandin' de world doesn't revolve 'round her," his brother suggested scathingly.

The mutant did his best to disregard him. Carrying on two completely different conversations was beginning to get extremely frustrating. "Don't worry, Carol," he placated her. "T'ings are goin' fine."

"Good," she exhaled in relief. Relaxing, she shuffled closer to him and hugged his side. "I've told you how sweet I think you're being with this whole thing, right hon? I mean, it's so _romantic_, you willing to go against your family for me! Just like Romeo and Juliet!"

"Does she know they _died_?" Henri cried in horror.

"Pro'ly not," he murmured in reply while distractedly using one hand to pat Carol patronizingly on the head. "Dere, dere, _belle_. I know, I'm only t'inkin' of y'."

"Oh, o' course y' are, pumkin'-butt," came the sarcastic falsetto voice from the receiver, which then proceeded to laugh uproariously.

Having enough of the ridicule, the thief decided to put an end to it. "Carol, I know y're curious about dis, but do y' t'ink y' could leave f'r a bit while we talk about it?"

She pouted. "Why?"

"Well, besides it bein' a lot o' stuffy family business an' such, y're very distractin'," he said with a lopsided grin, trying to pass it off as a compliment.

Blushing, she giggled and stood. "All right, fine. I'll leave you boys to your work before Kitty manages to track me down again. Have you talked to her about that, by the way? You know, told her you're not interested, let her down gently?"

He shook his head. "No, uh… de right moment hasn't come up."

"Well, you should probably do it before her little crush gets out of hand! As if her stalking me isn't annoying enough," she rolled her eyes, but then shrugged. "Anyway, come find me later and fill me in on what happens, okay?"

He nodded (knowing he would do no such thing), and she pecked him happily on the cheek before prancing out of the room. When the door shut behind her, Remy flung himself backwards onto the mattress, thankful for her departure.

A chuckle rang in his ear. "Y' know, wit' de number o' _filles_ y've been t'rough, y' were bound t' land an insane one eventually," Henri told him smugly. "De odds were stacked against y', _mon__ frère_."

"Yeah, yeah, how 'bout y' help me get out o' dis mess instead o' tauntin' me, please?" he protested. The other man was enjoying his distress all too much.

"Oh, come on Remy," he fussed. "T'ink o' how amusin' dis is f'r me – de infamous lady-killer o' N'awlins has finally had a _femme_ catch his eye, but den y' caught de eye o' de wrong one in return!"

"'Scuse me if I fail t' see de humour in dis."

"All right, all right, I'll shut up about it," Henri promised, turning much more contemplative. "But I've got some news dat might make y' forgive de mockery."

"What's wrong? _Tante_ said it was good news – so why do y' sound so grim?"

"It is good news – f'r y', dat is. Not so much f'r de Guilds an' our peace talks though, which is why I don't sound too enthused," he explained. "_Père's_ been hasslin' me about it… But don't worry, it'll be worse f'r de Assassins, since dey're instigating it."

"Instigatin' _what_?" Remy questioned exasperatedly. "Y' still haven't told me what y're goin' on about, de suspense is killin' me!"

"Oh, right," his brother said sheepishly. "Well, y' might not believe it, but dere've been rumours goin' 'round dat Belladonna's bein' unfaithful."

The words sunk in slowly, and Remy blinked. "Huh."

"Dat's it? Dat's y'r reaction?" the other thief cried. "Would've thought y'd be dancin' f'r joy or somethin'."

"Well, y' wouldn't be able t' see if I was dancin' or not right now, would y'?" he retorted.

"Whatever. De point is, dis is good news f'r y', Remy! If it's true, de Guilds will frown upon it, seein' it as insubordination and an insult to de peace treaty. Who knows, if y're lucky dey might even rescind de entire deal, an' den y'll be free as a bird… Well, free from de grasp o' Belle's talons, anyway."

"_Oui__, oui_, dat is good news, but…"

"But what?"

"Well, can it even be true?" he wondered. It seemed unlikely that the same Belle who could rival Carol's clinginess, obsession, and adoration would cheat on him. But then again, they hadn't seen each other for months, or talked to each other either. The last few times he had felt obligated to contact her (he couldn't remember when that had been, truthfully) she had been terse, even uncomfortable… Could that be interpreted as guilt? But that seemed too good to be true, and he was wary about making such assumptions.

"I t'ink it's a very real possibility," the other Cajun assessed. "De rumours originated from wit'in' de Assassins Guild itself – it's not just us Thieves startin' it t' piss dem off. An' Belle's been flyin' under de radar lately – she's not here every day checkin' f'r news on y' like she used to. She's bein' sneaky, an' I'll bet she's hidin' somet'in'…"

"Wow, dat's… Well, I certainly wasn't expectin' dat," he murmured. "It's surprisin'." It was a good surprise, however – he wondered why he wasn't feeling more elated upon hearing it.

"No, I t'ink what's surprisin' y' is dat she got over y' so fast, henh?" Henri shrewdly commented.

Remy glowered. "Dat's not what dis is about!"

"Sure it is."

He sighed. His brother had always been able to see right through him. "Okay, _maybe_… It's a bit of a blow t' my ego dat she claimed she loved me an' den cheats on me, but it really doesn't matter. Y're right, dis is good news, it's what I want," he realized, sounding much more excited as all the implications solidified in his mind.

"Y' sure?"

"Absolutely," he declared firmly, nodding his head even though there was nobody there to see the motion. "I want Rogue. She's pro'ly more den I deserve, but I want her, an' dis is a step on de way t' makin' dat happen."

"_Merde_, de _fille_'s actually got y' makin' self-depricatin' comments instead of de normal cocky ones? I _really_ need t' meet dis Rogue o' y'rs," Henri goaded him good-naturedly.

"She's not mine yet," he replied, reminding them both of that essential point. "Y' gonna help me wit' dat?"

"In whatever way I can," the older man promised. "I'll put some eyes on Belle, see if we can catch her in de act…"

"_Merci_," Remy smiled. He knew Belle was overconfident with her abilities – it was very possible she would slip up, and then maybe the matter of the unwanted wedding could finally be resolved. "But do y' know where _Père_ stands on dis? He won't auction me off t' some ot'er Assassin, will he?" Good God, he hoped not – it would be too much to take if he managed to weasel out of one engagement only to land in another.

Luckily, Henri had reassuring words for him. "Don't worry, Rem. He ain't too happy wit' de treaty possibly breakin' down, but if it does, de T'ieves will have an advantage over de Assassins, since dey brought it about. Dat an' de fact dat y'll be happy will be more den enough f'r him."

"_Bien_. I really appreciate dis, _mon __frère_, more den I can say," he expressed his gratitude enthusiastically.

"Don't thank me yet – dere's every possibility dat we won't get any evidence, or dat de rumours are just dat," he cautioned.

The mutant groaned. "_Dieu_, y' sound as pessimistic as Rogue. I prefer t' t'ink positively, okay?"

"Well, I hate t' burst y'r bubble, but even if dis all works out an' de betrothal is revoked, what're y' goin' to do about Carol?"

Those words effectively brought Gambit crashing down to earth. "I still have no clue…"

"Don't worry, y'll figure somet'in' out sooner or later. Y' always were a master at dumpin' girls," Henri consoled him, no doubt thinking back to all the times that heartbroken gals had stopped by the LeBeau mansion searching for the young charmer (but whether they had been hoping for another chance or looking to slap him silly had been hotly debated).

"Is dat supposed t' be a compliment? Besides, I've got to get Carol to be de one t' end dis, remember?"

"Well, don't t'ink I can help y' dere, but I'll do my part wit' Belle."

"Fine. I'm really grateful f'r dis…"

"Don't mention it. I'll let y' know what I find out, henh? Until den, good luck wit' y'r little fiasco…"

"T'anks, I t'ink I'll definitely need it," Remy admitted. "Talk t' y' soon, Henri."

After hanging up the phone, the thief couldn't refrain from feeling slightly relieved. The Carol situation still had to be resolved, but at least action was being taken on the Belladonna front. Maybe it would all come together somehow…

- X -

_**The next week…**_

At first Remy had thought his plan to reject Carol's advances was quite brilliant. All he had to do was preach some sappy reason and she would lap it up, leaving him free(er) from temptation – not to mention something was finally being done about Belle at the same time. However, he knew it wouldn't last forever, and therein was the problem. Usually he had no difficulty with follow-through, but there was nothing usual about this case. For the life of him he just couldn't figure out how to get rid of the maddening Ms. Marvel! Or, more accurately, how to make Ms. Marvel get rid of _him_.

Time was of the essence, because he knew she would only buy his sentimental excuses for so long. She definitely wasn't the most patient of girls, very much making the Cajun doubt she would be able to keep her claws off him for long. For once it wasn't his arrogance talking, but rather truth, as ascertained from the lustful glint in her blue eyes every time she looked his way.

He had effectively avoided her recently, but today it would be impossible, since everybody in the mansion would be congregating for Thanksgiving dinner. He couldn't get out of it, and so decided he might as well face it with dignity. He shrugged on a red silk shirt, buttoning it and tugging it down over his black dress pants, then admiring himself in the mirror. Damn, he looked fine, the young man smirked confidently.

A second later he received confirmation of that thought, as the voice he had learned to dread spoke from behind him. "Wow, Remy. You look good enough to eat," Carol cooed from her spot leaning against the doorframe, before sashaying into the room.

Remy didn't reply at first, distracted by the movement of her red silk dress slipping over all her curves, the way the slit up the side provided teasing glimpses of her thigh, and how the deep v-neck offered a tantalizing view of the swell of her breasts. He wanted to say the same thing to her, because it would certainly apply, but he didn't want to encourage her. Instead he weakly joked, "Don't t'ink I'm on de menu, _belle_."

"Well, you should be," she sniffed, coming to stand beside him and staring at their reflection in the mirror. "Aww, look at what an adorable couple we make!"

"Yeah, look at dat," he smiled stiffly. By this point he was wondering if he should have dressed shabbier so he wouldn't have impressed her so much, but it was too late for that. "So, y' ready t' head down t' dinner?"

He turned and began to head out, but Carol grabbed his arm before he could get very far. "Hey, wait a sec! Any news from your family?"

"Y've asked me dat at least ten times a day," he replied with thinning patience, wishing he was exaggerating. "An' de answer's always been de same – no news yet. It'll take some time!" Of course, that would probably still be the answer even if he _had_ received news, since at the moment it was his last line of defence against the siren.

"Well, hopefully not too much time, hmm?" she purred, sidling closer to him once more.

"Right," he agreed with difficulty, prying his arm from her grasp. "Now come on, or we'll be late f'r dinner."

They walked downstairs, with Remy taking care not to walk too closely to her, especially with others milling about. When they entered the dining room, the first thing he noticed was that some of his teammates were already seated, and luckily for him, they hadn't left two open seats together. Carol apparently noticed this as well, shooting him a pout, but he just filled the chair between Kitty and Sam happily. He at least had that to be thankful for this Thanksgiving…

When Professor Xavier cleared his throat authoritatively, the other students circulating about the room all sat down as Ororo and Hank began to bring in plates of food. He could hear stomachs rumbling around him (especially Kurt's, whose sounded frighteningly like the roar of an oncoming train), but the psychic at the head of the table insisted, "Now before we begin our meal, in the spirit of the holiday, why don't we go around the room and say what we are thankful for?"

"What a lovely idea, Charles," Ororo smiled serenely. "Would you do us the honour of beginning?"

"Of course," he nodded, clasping his hands in front of him. "I am thankful for all my students. Knowing that you are all here working towards the peaceful coexistence of mutants and humans makes me take heart that such a future truly is possible."

He then looked to his right, staring expectantly at Wolverine. "Aww, crap," the surly Canuck grumbled. "Chuck, ya know I don't do this sappy stuff."

"Logan…" Ororo intoned warningly, and Kitty and Kurt began to snigger at how fast the tough man gave in ("Whipped!" somebody whispered).

"All right… Uh, I'm thankful for the good grub…" Here Storm shot him another look, and he grudgingly went on. "…And for havin' a place to come home to, I guess."

"Well put," the Professor grinned, and then gestured towards Scott, who was next.

When the team leader began a long-winded speech about responsibility, Remy's mind drifted off. It only snapped back to attention when he heard Carol's voice and realized it was her turn. He tuned back in, wondering what exactly she would say, and hoping she would have the presence of mind to not mention anything about him.

"Well," she began slowly. "I suppose I'm thankful for just being here. Even though my body is dead, I still have to chance to live on, and I'm grateful for that."

Remy had to exert a great deal of effort to stop from scoffing in disbelief. She wasn't grateful for it, she felt _entitled_ to it! At least he wasn't the only one not buying it – beside him Kitty was scowling, and a few seats over Kurt shifted about uncomfortably. But Jean was giving her a warm smile and the Professor was nodding in encouragement, and so she continued.

"And I'm even more grateful that I've found people I care about, and who care about me," Carol concluded, momentarily glancing up at Remy from across the table when she said this.

He quickly broke eye contact, but as Amara began her turn he jumped in his seat, feeling something move up his leg. Looking over at Carol, he could see her feigning attention to the other girl, but her eyes briefly flickered in his direction, with a sly smirk building on her lips. He gulped. Was she… She was! She was playing footsy with him!

Before he would have played along with such saucy little games, but not now, and certainly not when Carol was involved – it was much too tempting, and he doubted his self-control. He folded his legs under his chair and shuffled out of her reach in as subtle a manner as possible, succeeding just as Kitty started to speak.

"I'm so thankful for my true friends and family," she stated simply, shooting a shy smile in Piotr's direction, and then a furtive glare in Carol's as she continued, "Even when they can't be here."

He watched as Carol brushed off Kitty's comment – or was she too dim to realize it was directed at her? Either way, her eyes turned to watch him as his turn came up. She was no doubt expecting some veiled mention to her, and he felt no remorse in not including one. "I'm t'ankful f'r findin' anot'er place t' call home an' more people t' call family when I had t' leave my previous ones. _Merci__ beaucoup_ f'r acceptin' dis Cajun… Not dat it was too much of a chore, henh?" he then winked in the direction of the younger girls, who all began to giggle.

Chancing a glance over at Carol, he was pleased to see she looked slightly put out, and he had a satisfied smile on his face as the rest of the team said their pieces. After they had gone around the table, Xavier smiled. "That was lovely. Now, let us begin our feast!"

Logan stood eagerly over the huge turkey that he'd been eyeing greedily ever since it had been set on the table. The claws on his right hand slid out, and he wiped them with a napkin. He raised them up to slice the bird, but Kitty shrieked.

"Eww, Mr. Logan, what are you doing? That's so unsanitary!"

"Why do you care, half-pint?" he raised a bushy eyebrow. "It's not like you'll eat the thing."

"I prefer my tofurkey, thanks," the vegetarian told him haughtily. "But it's still gross!"

Down the table, Jubilee nodded in agreement. "I'm with Kitty on this one, Wolvie! Who knows where those claws have been?"

"Jeez, I don't see why you're all so picky," he grunted, retracting the adamantium and heading towards the kitchen to fetch some actual knives. "You all eat like you're in a barn anyway…"

And Remy couldn't stop his chuckle as the room dissolved into the regular laughter and chatter, becoming another warm and friendly Institute dinner.

- X -

**_At the end of the month…_**

For once, Remy wasn't enjoying the attention directed towards him by a member of the opposite sex. Rather, he was filled with dread – mainly because it was coming from Carol, and she was practically undressing him with her eyes. He was infinitely grateful for the company of others in the room. Without them, there was no telling what she would do. She was already trying to catch his gaze and gesture for them to leave for a more private spot, but he resolutely refused to so much as glance her way. Instead, he focused on anything and everything else he could.

His attention flitted between Sam and Bobby playing a truly inept game of pool on the table in the corner, to Jubilee and Amara reading their Cosmo magazines (interspersed with heavy bouts of squealing), to the movie Kurt, Piotr and Kitty were watching on the big-screen television. It was one of the Matrix trilogy, and although he wasn't sure which one, he did his best to feign interest. He couldn't very well leave, because he knew Carol would follow and trap him somewhere. No, it was best to stay in the safety zone.

Remy sighed. Since when did he fear the _femmes_? Oh, wait, the answer to that was obvious – since he had gotten himself into this jam… Since he had found himself hard-pressed to resist a certain luscious, curvy body… Since he had met Rogue. Shaking his head, the thief did his best to clear it of such thoughts. It would do no good to get all hot and bothered, he had to stay sharp. He was too worried about what could happen if Carol caught him in such a state, because honestly, he didn't trust himself around her in Rogue's body.

So pulling out a deck of cards, he idly began to shuffle them, prepared to dwindle away the afternoon under the protection the presence of the other X-Men offered. However, after some time had passed, Bobby and Sam gave up their game and left. A short while after that, the giggle-monsters packed up their things and departed as well, presumably less inclined to stick around when there were no boys providing lovely views of their derrières as they bent over to make difficult shots.

Carol, of course, remained in her armchair across the room. She was barely watching the film, her stare constantly flicking over to the Cajun, which made the hair on the back of his neck rise. He felt even more apprehensive when the movie ended, and Piotr and Kurt both rose from their seats.

The Russian giant stretched slowly, working out the kinks from being squished on furniture too small for his large frame, and said, "Vell, I enjoyed zat movie. But I am thinking it is time for our training session vith ze children, no?"

"Too bad," Kurt lamented. "But duty calls, _ja_? Coming, Keety?"

The young girl's eyes widened as she quickly realized that leaving would mean abandoning Remy to Carol's clutches. So far this month she had done a wonderful job playing watchdog, and Remy hoped she would be able to save him yet again.

"Uh, why don't we reschedule it? I'm sure the kids'll totally appreciate it, and then we can watch the last part in the trilogy!" she suggested, doing her best to sound convincing.

"Sounds like way more fun, but you know how Scott gets if we blow off training," the elfin mutant groaned.

"He's right," Carol piped up, raising an eyebrow smugly. "You wouldn't want our fearless leader mad at you, now would you? Besides, you really shouldn't be shirking your responsibilities like that."

Kitty scowled and was about to retort when Kurt shrugged and told her, "I hate to say it, but she's right. Now, come on!"

Before the girl could even protest, he placed his blue hands on Piotr and Kitty's arms and the trio teleported away. The Cajun inwardly cursed his lack of luck and the German boy's total obliviousness – he definitely wouldn't have been so eager to go if he was fully apprised of the circumstances…

Before the sulphurous smoke from their departure had even cleared, Carol shot across the room and settled herself comfortably on Remy's lap. "Finally, alone at last!" she exclaimed dramatically. "I thought they'd never leave!"

"_Belle_, mebbe y' shouldn't be so affectionate when people could see, henh?" he politely suggested, trying to subtly shove her off of him.

She wouldn't budge, instead slinging an arm around his shoulders and pulling herself in even closer. "Relax, there's nobody here. You worry too much, you know – you'll get wrinkles!"

He rolled his eyes discreetly, wondering if that's what it would take to get rid of her. "In case y' hadn't noticed, dis sticky situation is plenty t' worry about."

The girl brushed his reprimand aside, instead saying, "Oh, speaking of sticky situations, have you heard back from your brother yet?"

"Y' keep askin' me dat," he said in aggravation. "Y' know I'll tell y' when I find out! It's just going t' take more time."

"No fair," Carol pouted, but then an impish look covered her face. Trailing a finger sensuously down his chest, she whispered, "Are you sure you don't want to change your mind about this whole waiting thing? I promise it'll be worth it…"

The young man paled as he felt her begin to shift on his lap, her backside rubbing against a very sensitive part of his anatomy. Doing his best to think of something horribly unappealing (an image of the Blob in a Speedo was the first thing to flash through his mind, much to his chagrin), he managed to force out, "It won't be too long."

"No?" Her hands danced lightly over his stomach now, and continued moving lower and lower. "I'm sure it'll be _very_ long…" she cooed suggestively, and then smirked. "Oh, were you talking about the wait?"

Remy gritted his teeth and was about to reply when he heard a feminine (and slightly panicked) voice call his name from out in the hallway. Jumping to his feet, Carol was unceremoniously dumped to the floor just as Kitty burst into the room. They both did their best to hide their laughter at the sight of her inelegantly sprawled out on her rear, with the Cajun able to compose himself first and ask casually, "_Oui__, petite_?"

"Oh, uh, Remy, we need you to monitor our session from the control room, if you don't mind," she attempted to say in a blasé way, between her deep breaths – it was clear she had hurried all the way back up from the sublevels, and he was extremely thankful for her timing and the excuse she brought with her.

"Why can't you get Scott to do it?" Carol whined, pushing herself up off the floor.

"Couldn't find him," Kitty lied, narrowing her eyes at the other girl.

"It's fine," the Cajun declared, striding over. "Be glad t' lend a hand if y' need me."

"But –" she began to complain, but didn't get a chance to finish.

"Great!" Shadowcat chirped happily, shooting a superior smirk at Carol before skipping out of the room. "Let's go!"

Carol's jaw dropped as he moved to follow her, and she shot him a piercing look. He shrugged helplessly, as if saying "What can you do?", but as soon as his back was turned he let his face break out into a pleased grin.

When the pair was out of the fuming girl's earshot, he let out a sigh of relief. "T'anks f'r dat, _petite_. Good t'ing y' came along when y' did."

"No problem," Kitty responded easily, but he could detect a hint of worry underneath the façade. "She's getting more persistent, huh?"

"Y' could say dat," the thief laughed dryly.

"Still haven't found a way to get rid of her?" she asked as they made their way to the elevator.

He shook his head. "Believe me, if I had den she wouldn't be all over me like she is. Any ideas? I could really use a hand wit' dis mess." Usually he wasn't one to ask for assistance, as he was much too proud and self-assured for such things, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Besides, he had already solicited Henri's aid, why not hers as well? Maybe she would have some sort of feminine insight into the mysterious workings of the female mind…

"Sorry," she apologized sincerely. "I've got no clue. You'd _think_ the engagement thing would make her back off, but it looks like you can do no wrong in her eyes."

"Dat's de problem," he agreed as the stainless steel elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside.

"You better figure something out soon though," Kitty advised, stating the obvious. "I don't think I can rescue you all the time!"

"I know," Remy grumbled as the doors slid closed and they began to descend. "I know…"

* * *

Well, Remy asking for help is a step in the right direction, eh? Let's hope some good comes out of it…

**Next chapter** – Rogue's back! But will Remy tell her about Carol's continuing clinginess, or keep yet another secret?

So you know, reviews can be very motivating… And guilt-trips can do wonders, so keep that in mind! ;-)

Toodles,  
– ish –


	21. Awkward

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to say it again?

**A/N:** Hello all! So sorry to have taken so long to update, unfortunately real life gets in the way of things. I do my best to ignore it, but it does tend to be rather pesky and persistent. Anyhoo, as always, much thanks to my reviewers – you're all very much appreciated! Hope you enjoy this latest instalment, and will stick around for more. It may take me a while, but I promise more will get posted _eventually_! ;)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 21 – Awkward**

_**December 2005**_

This morning Rogue's awakening and readjustment to her body was calm and leisurely, for which she was glad. She had reached her quota for drama over recent months, and was hoping further fuss would pass her by for a long, long time – of course, thinking like that would probably jinx things, but for the moment there was peace, and she embraced it. Pushing her hands against the headboard of her bed, the Southerner stretched out and savoured the warmth of her blankets and quiet of her room for as long as she could before the inevitable disruption.

That interruption happened to be a knock on the door about fifteen minutes later – but going so long without a disturbance was probably a record for a mansion filled with rambunctious teenagers. Glancing over at the alarm clock, red numbers shone back and told her it was six a.m. That meant Kitty and Kurt were probably stopping by to pick her up for the Danger Room session, and she groaned. An intensive workout after a month's hiatus could be both an excruciating chore and welcome exercise, but currently it was leaning more towards the unpleasant end of the spectrum.

Forcing herself to stand and then stretching once again for good measure, Rogue made her way to the door and opened it. Fully expecting to see a fuzzy blue elf and a girl much too perky for such an ungodly hour of the morning, she instead found a Cajun with a cautious smile on his handsome face.

"Remy?" she blinked, surprised.

She hadn't been expecting to see him, but perhaps she should have been. After all, he had made it abundantly clear that he had wanted to repair their friendship, and move beyond it as well. She certainly agreed with the first part, but the latter was more problematic… Although she had tried to explain to him why it would never work, the thief was stubborn – he would undoubtedly keep trying anyway. Oddly enough, a part of her appreciated that, even if…

No, she didn't want to dwell on all those obstacles now. The point was that she was actually glad to see him, especially after avoiding him for a month and then being apart from him for another while in her mind. It had been a long time since they had just spent time together and joked like they used to… They would have to get back into the swing of things, because now they were standing there looking at each other uncertainly, and it felt rather awkward.

Taking a closer look at the boy to see if he was as uncomfortable as she was, Rogue realized that he hadn't removed his wide-eyed gaze from her – a gaze that was more reminiscent of gawking than of insecurity. Glancing down, she noticed that to her abject horror, Carol still hadn't given up her habit of buying ridiculously skimpy and expensive sleepwear. "Hey!" she cried, blushing as she quickly grabbed a sweater and pulled it over the low-cut camisole. "Perv."

"_Desolé_," Remy muttered, with the good grace to actually sound sheepish about it. Taking advantage of Rogue moving away to cover herself up, he slipped inside the room and shut the door, then quickly tried to steer the subject away from his little faux pas. "So… Uh, how are y'?"

"Fine," she shrugged, deciding for a standard answer in lieu of delving deeper into things. "An' yo'self?" She didn't know what else to ask him. This was what she'd been worrying about, the nervousness and apprehension that would no doubt exist between them as a result of the lies, deceptions, and admitted feelings. At least it wasn't only her experiencing the acute discomfort – Remy appeared to be feeling it too. Could they ever get back what they once had, that easy camaraderie?

"I'm fine, too, I guess…" he began tentatively, before appearing to change his mind. Shaking his head, he then said firmly, "Actually, no, I'm not."

"Why not?" the girl queried nervously, sitting down on the edge of her bed. Had something else happened? Was his wedding being planned? Did another fiancée pop up? Or maybe it was something unrelated to all the previous crises – maybe a hidden medical condition, or long-lost brother? She couldn't stop the negative scenarios from flooding her mind (probably stemming from Kitty's insistence on discussing the plots of her romance novels). They seemed unlikely, but with everything that had already happened, almost anything seemed possible at this point.

Remy just grimaced, looking around at the posters on her walls instead of meeting her eyes.

That was all it took to confirm her suspicions. "Bad news, huh?"

"_Oui_. Y're not goin' t' like it…" he told her nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. She couldn't remember ever seeing Mr. Cool and Collected so anxious!

"Tell me anyway," she insisted, although the uneasy fluttering in her stomach warned her against it. Even if she wouldn't enjoy the news, she couldn't stand not knowing – she didn't want to be kept in the dark again. "Honesty is important ta me, an' secrets are what caused this whole mess in th' first place, remember?"

"I know, I know…" he sighed, then apparently decided to adopt the Band-Aid strategy – it would be painful, but over with quickly. Wincing, he blurted out, "Carol didn't dump me like I thought she would."

Rogue hadn't known what exactly to expect, but it certainly hadn't been that. "Excuse me?" she started, thinking she must have heard wrong.

"She didn't dump me," Remy scowled, managing to look simultaneously exasperated, disbelieving, and guilty about it. "After I told her about Belladonna she freaked an' ran off, so I assumed (an' _hoped_) dat she'd want nothin' more t' do wit' me… But den she came an' asked me t' forgive her f'r reactin' so badly, sayin' de news didn't matter t' her."

"What the hell?" she exclaimed in astonishment. That couldn't be right… Carol was the high-maintenance type that needed to be the centre of attention! She would have assumed that playing second fiddle to somebody else would be the very last thing the girl would want.

The thief let loose a bitter chuckle, leaning backwards resignedly and letting the wall prop him up. "Yeah, dat was pretty much my reaction too…"

"But… How? Why?" Rogue asked him incredulously.

"Apparently she's assumed dat since I'm not with Belle at de moment, I've chosen her instead," he recounted monotonously, although she could sense frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. "Den she went on about believin' in de strength of our relationship or somethin'… Didn't really sink in, I t'ink I was too shocked t' pay attention."

She stared blankly at him for a few minutes, her mind racing. Carol honestly didn't care that her boyfriend was _engaged_? There was just no way… It was impossible, it was bizarre! How could anybody possibly be okay with such a revelation? She herself certainly hadn't taken the bombshell well, and she hadn't even been dating him! Damn that girl, how could she choose to continue on with things the way they were? How _could_ she? Rogue was furious!

Then she froze, realizing what was happening. Oh no, no, her thoughts were heading back into dangerous territory again… But she couldn't help it. Rogue recognized the noxious feeling brewing within her: jealousy. She was jealous! Again… But no, she couldn't allow herself to feel that way, and tried her best to temper the negative emotions – she'd been the one to insist on friendship, after all! So then she couldn't really protest against Carol still being with Remy, could she? Too bad her heart's pesky feelings didn't pay attention to her brain's rationalizations.

Taking a moment to centre herself, Rogue decided she had to approach this calmly. That was harder said than done, especially since she had the intense yearning to scream and shout and maybe break something in her frustration, but the last thing she wanted was to start off the month quarreling with the Cajun again. So after a deep breath she slowly uttered, "Okay… What are yah goin' ta do then?"

"I have no clue!" he shouted in irritation, throwing his hands into the air. "I mean, I t'ought dis was a sure-fire way to have her dump me, but now it seems dat no matter what I do, it won't work! _Dieu, chère_, she won't leave me alone, it's like she's stalkin' me…"

She certainly wasn't overjoyed with the news – in fact, she downright loathed it, and felt a seething rage churning within her that was only worsened by all her conflicting emotions. And yet, taking in Remy's flustered appearance, clearly at his wit's end as he ranted and raved about the girl he was stuck with, she couldn't stop the quiet laugh that escaped her throat.

He heard it and stared – the expression on his face was the same one she assumed he'd have if she kicked a puppy or cancelled Christmas. "_Chère_? I fail t' see what's so amusing…"

"Sorry," she giggled, her hands over her mouth as she tried to stifle her sounds, but now that she had started it was hard to stop. "But yah have ta admit, it's pretty funny!" Her negativity, much to her surprise, was rapidly fading – Remy's lack of enthusiasm to Carol no doubt helped that along and eased her doubts, but now it was his indignation that fuelled the humour.

He blinked. "Okay, y're takin' dis much better den I thought y' would."

So was she, for that matter! Rogue never thought she would have been amused at this sort of situation, but she couldn't help herself. Was she hysterical? Had she finally lost it? Maybe all the psyches had pushed her over the edge… Well, whatever the case, it actually helped to laugh about it, and she suddenly felt slightly better about things.

She snorted, calming down some so that she was able to explain. "Well, it's not like Ah'm thrilled with the news… But after yah caused this whole mess, it's sorta poetic justice ta see yah stuck with a girl yah can't stand, ain't it?"

"It's hell on earth…" he groaned, throwing his head back with a smack as it hit the wall.

"Well, Ah might be more sympathetic if a part o' me didn't feel yah deserve a bit o' hassle," she told him frankly. Maybe it was vindictive and infantile, but a tiny little voice in the back of her mind was telling her that he should endure these trials and tribulations after the stunts he had pulled.

"Fair enough… I know I deserve dis." He scuffed at the carpet with his feet, and she could tell that this was hard for him. "But I want t' fix t'ings, and… I don't know what t' do, _chère_."

Amazing – was he asking her for help? If she hadn't already believed the sincerity and regret he expressed about the entire fiasco then this probably would have swayed her. So Rogue pondered upon things for a moment, trying to come up with a plan of action while attempting to ignore the fact that she maybe, _possibly_ had a vested interest in things. "Why not just dump her an' get it all over with?" she questioned, going for the obvious and easy solution. Not to mention the more satisfying and fun one…

He frowned worriedly. "I don't like how dat could end up… I don't want hurtin' Carol t' end up hurtin' you."

She was touched for a moment at his worry, but then recalled her stance on all of this. "Well, that won't happen, will it?" she pointed out, her brow furrowing. "We're just friends, remember?"

"For now," he told her determinedly, standing up straighter and looking resolute.

She sighed exasperatedly, not liking where this conversation was heading. "Do we have ta go over all this again?"

"Hearin' it more won't change my mind," he insisted obstinately.

"Yeah, well, yah won't change my mind either," the girl maintained. She had a feeling this could go on for a very long time, like some sort of back-and-forth kindergarten argument. Too bad it wasn't a simple grade-school problem – she longed for simple issues again, like sharing toys or stealing another's cookie! Things had become much too complicated lately.

The Cajun was adamant though, contending, "I'll still do my best – I t'ink I'll manage t' wear y' down eventually."

"Ah don't wanna get into this right now…" she groused, leaning forward and burying her head in her hands. Trying to change the subject, she put forward, "Look, forget all that, an' let's get back ta th' problem at hand. _Whatever_ happens, how badly could Carol really take it?"

She could tell that he wasn't finished with the previous topic, but he still went along with the shift. "Oh, she seems t' be in pretty deep, an' frankly, it's annoyin'."

She hated to say it, but… "Well, Ah guess yah're stuck with her until she chucks yah then."

"Wit' de way she's actin', I'm afraid dat'll be never!"

Rogue had to bite her lip to stop herself from erupting in laughter again, because the irony was truly entertaining. Remy LeBeau, the ultimate ladies' man, was now stuck with a girl he couldn't stand, and he had absolutely no clue how to get rid of her. She would have thought he'd be an expert at it! "Oh honestly, how hard is it for yah ta be a bad boyfriend?"

"Why _chère_, I'm insulted!" he gasped melodramatically, clutching a hand to his chest. "What makes y' t'ink I could do dat?'

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Yah know, maybe yah're right…" She paused as he preened a bit, but then added, "Yah never stick around long enough ta even be _considered_ a boyfriend, so who knows what kind yah'd be!"

He winced. "All right, point taken… But I _could_ be a good boyfriend."

Rogue didn't doubt that, as she considered his attentiveness and chivalry and… No, she shouldn't be letting her thoughts wander in that direction! Shaking her head, she told him, "That's not th' point. Yah've _gotta_ be a crappy one now, or enough of one so that she'll get fed up with yah. Ah mean, it's not like she's throwing herself at yah or anythin' – how hard can it be ta neglect her an' such?"

He fidgeted, distressed. "It's not like I haven't been tryin'! She's completely oblivious – I t'ink she's so excited about actually findin' someone despite de body-sharin' situation dat she's deludin' herself into thinking t'ings are perfect."

"Well then, we'll just have ta think of ways ta show her they ain't a bed o' roses…" she mused. Perhaps it was childish, but a part of her felt a smug sense of satisfaction at knowing she might be helping Carol's boyfriend dump her. …Damn, there was that jealousy cropping up again!

"You'll help me?" Remy marveled, obviously shocked at her not only accepting the news so well, but even offering her assistance. She couldn't help but smile, because it was always fun to throw him off like that.

"Sure," she raised a shoulder in what she hoped portrayed indifference, although inside she felt nothing of the sort.

"Ah, _merci chère_," he grinned, relieved. "I appreciate de help, I really do."

"Yeah, well, Ah think yah'll need all yah can get," she retorted, getting to her feet.

"Probably…" he agreed, and then smirked hopefully. "But y're sure it ain't a bit self-serving on y'r part?"

"Argh!" she grumbled, placing her hands on her hips. "How many times do Ah gotta tell yah, swamp rat? No!"

"Sure _chère_, whatever y' say…"

"Oh, just get outta here!" she growled, throwing the door open, glad she had a reason to chuck him out. "We're gonna be late fo' Logan's Danger Room session, an' Ah've still gotta change."

"Oh, den maybe I should stay, henh?"

"Out!"

- X -

A few hours later, after making herself more presentable following a vigorous training session, Rogue found herself standing before a large oak door. He had asked her to come see him, and she had no intention of backing out on that – she wasn't afraid, after all! But… Well, she supposed the correct descriptor would be 'nervous'. Still, it was something that had to be done, so she might as well get it over with. Knocking on the door, a kindly "Come in!" echoed telepathically through her mind, and she entered the Professor's 'fortress of solitude' (as the students had affectionately dubbed it).

"Ahh, good morning Rogue!" Charles Xavier greeted her warmly, gesturing for her to take a seat in the plush leather chair in front of his desk. "It's nice to have you back, as always."

"Thanks," she replied, sitting down a bit tensely. She appreciated these little checkups, she really did, but each time she went to one she couldn't help but go with a heavy heart – what would really be accomplished? Nothing ever was. No adequate solution to her issues with Carol, no miraculous breakthrough with her powers… Add that to the fact that she always felt rather unsettled when candidly discussing her feelings, and that led her to attend each session with a touch of apprehension and melancholy.

"And may I also add that it's nice to see you in a better mood!"

She frowned slightly. "How could yah tell? Ah've only said one word ta yah. Am Ah that easy ta read?" She certainly hoped not!

"Not at all," the man laughed, manoeuvring his wheelchair around the desk until he rested beside her. "You happen to be one of the most difficult to read of all my students – and I do not just mean telepathically. But I suppose that is what you aim for, is it not?"

Rogue looked away from him uncomfortably, and was thankful when he cleared his throat and continued. "To answer your first question, I was in the control room, observing your training run this morning. You appeared more at ease than you have been recently, especially in your interactions with Mr. LeBeau. Am I to assume that whatever misunderstanding occurred between you two has been rectified?"

She carefully contemplated the question, because honestly, she wasn't quite sure of her reply. _Had_ things been completely mended? "Ah guess so," she began slowly, trying to find the right words to explain. "Ah mean, we talked a bit, but…"

When she paused, and after a long moment failed to continue, Xavier concluded her sentence. "You are unsure if things can ever be the same again? You wonder how things will progress beyond the strained situation you find yourselves in? And perhaps a nagging voice in the back of your mind is whispering doubts about ever truly trusting him again?"

Her jaw dropped, and Rogue stared at him with wide eyes. "Did yah –"

"No, Rogue," he shook his head with a wry look on his face, one that told her he was disappointed at her assumption. "Of course I didn't read your mind. I couldn't even if I wanted to, you know that."

"Ah- Ah'm sorry, Professor," she stammered remorsefully, feeling somewhat ashamed. She knew better, she really did, but it was hard not to instantly jump to the obvious conclusion when in the presence of an insightful telepath. "It's just that yah were so right on… It was like yah read my mind, and since yah actually _can_, Ah couldn't help but think…"

"It's alright," he soothed her, reaching over to pat her gloved hands comfortingly. "I can understand why the thought would make you nervous, but rest assured, I did not invade your privacy. I simply made a logical guess as to what you were feeling – the same things that _all_ of us feel after a fight with a good friend."

"Oh," Rogue said, feeling even more foolish. "Right. Sorry… Ah just… It's not somethin' Ah want gettin' out, yah know? It's private."

"I understand completely," Xavier responded gently. "I am quite aware that housing a mansion full of teenagers also brings with it teenage melodrama. Did you know that when Scott and Jean were my only students, I at first took it upon myself to mediate their disagreements?"

"Really?" she asked curiously, not particularly caring about their past, but wondering where he was going with this.

"Oh yes," he chuckled quietly, reminiscing. "I called them to a meeting and tried to have them tell me what was wrong, attempting to facilitate communication between them so they could work through whatever the issue was. Imagine everybody's embarrassment when one such problem turned out to be Jean walking in on Scott in the bathroom! And then another instance when Scott stumbled across Jean's diary…"

The Southerner began to snicker, imagining what could have stemmed from those two events – but then remembering how clueless they had been about each other's feelings before they finally got together, she concluded it had probably been nothing.

"The point is," the Professor continued with a smile, "That I learned a valuable lesson. I cannot force people to solve their problems, least of all teenagers. I've accepted that, and now, barring more serious situations, I generally tend to let you all work out your problems amongst yourselves. It may occasionally lead to an atmosphere resembling some kind of soap opera, but in the end things tend to be settled – which is exactly why I didn't interfere with you and Remy."

"Ah appreciate that," Rogue told him truthfully, thankful he hadn't seen fit to do so. Her problems were solely between her and Remy. And Carol, she supposed, even though the other girl was fairly clueless. Oh, and Kitty as well, what with her being so involved in it all… Okay, so her problems weren't exactly private, but she definitely wanted to prevent even more people from picking up on them.

"And was I correct in doing so?"

"Yeah, Ah think so," she nodded. "We seem ta be in th' process o' workin' things out, so Ah guess that's the best Ah can hope for."

"Just remain optimistic, Rogue," Xavier advised her. "While I'm aware that may not be your usual outlook, in this case I believe it should be. Friends fight all the time, and although it can be devastating, true friendships can withstand such tests. I have every faith that you and Remy can do the same – it will just take some time."

The girl let his words sink in. Usually she detested people giving unsolicited opinions and advice – sure, it was simple to mean well and give guidance, but they had no idea what it felt like to actually experience the particular situation, or to be the one who had to follow through with the advice! If it had been anybody else, Rogue would have told them to shove it – how were they to know what she went through, and what would happen? But this was the Professor, so she couldn't very well say that – at least, not without heavily censoring it first.

But then as she mulled it all over, she realized he could very well be right. After all, she and Remy were more stubborn than a pair of mules – they were much too tenacious to let things go without a fight. Their relationship being restored was something they both wanted, so with a mutual goal between the pair it would surely come about easier, wouldn't it?

Well, easy was a relative term. It wouldn't be a walk in the park… It would certainly take some time to move past recent events. All of Rogue's previous trust issues had resurfaced, banding together and screaming for her not to believe in what Remy told her, but she wanted to very much to! Could she? That was the major question.

She honestly didn't know the answer, but she had to do something to try and find it out. Doing nothing would do no good… She at least had to bite the bullet and initiate some more contact, awkwardness be damned. It was the only way to find out if things could go back to normal. They had managed to move past a phase of mistrust and tentativeness months ago, before their relationship had flourished into something more comfortable – if they could do it then, why not again? Of course, now things were in a completely different context…

The Southerner shrugged and sighed. "Ah guess we'll just have ta try, huh?"

"Indeed," he concurred. "It unfortunately won't resolve itself."

"Too bad," she said resignedly, before hoisting herself up from her seat. "Ah guess that's my cue ta go make a move."

"Best of luck, Rogue," he told her, watching her head for the door. "I hope that if you want to continue to talk about this, you will come to me?"

"Sure," she unconvincingly called back over her shoulder before exiting the room.

Once out in the hallway, the Southerner stopped for a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she realized that for the first time, she was leaving the Professor's office with a plan of action and a tangible goal in mind. Well, that was something, right?

- X -

A plan was a step in the right direction, but trying to enact it was something else all together. After Rogue left her session with Xavier, she wandered around the mansion trying to find Remy – there was no time like the present to mend the damage, right? She figured she should find him before she lost her nerve, but it was just her luck that he happened to be running a simulation in the Danger Room with the younger recruits.

Sighing, she went back to her room to grab her sketchbook and some pencils. Maybe some art therapy would take her mind off things for a while? At any rate, it'd be better than obsessing about what she should or shouldn't say and do. As she wandered idly through the halls, searching for an inspirational place to sit down and draw, she was unaware of being watched from behind, her observer coming closer and closer before they pounced…

"Hey!" called a voice from behind her, and Rogue jumped straight into the air in shock.

"Jeez, Kit!" she gasped, clutching a hand to her rapidly palpitating heart. "Why don'tcha give a gal some warnin' before yah sneak up on her?"

"Sorry," her friend apologized sheepishly. "I didn't think I was being all that stealthy."

"No problem," Rogue sighed, waving it off. "Ah guess Ah was lost in thought. What's up?"

"Well, a bunch of us are going Chrismukkah shopping, and I wanted to know if you'd come!" Kitty invited.

She blinked. "Chrismukkah?"

"Yeah, Chrismukkah!" the other girl chirped merrily. "Christmas and Hanukkah mixed together – I celebrate Hanukkah but everybody I'm buying gifts for celebrates Christmas, so instead of wasting all that breath explaining that, I figured I'd just meld the words together and it would capture the importance of both holidays without making my celebrations seem less important or somebody else's more so! I got it from _the O.C._, Adam Brody's character came up with it – isn't that cute? He's such a sweetie."

"Riiight," Rogue drawled, smiling and nodding politely. "Ah don't know why _you_ of all people would worry about wastin' your breath though…"

"Oh, ha _ha_," Kitty intoned dryly.

"But Ah actually wasn't wonderin' about th' word," she clarified. "Ah was thinkin' about th' timin'. Is it really almost Christmas already?"

The other girl looked at her like she was crazy. "Yeah, it's December, remember?"

"Oh, right…" It was so hard to keep track of time when you were out of the picture every other month! Maybe she should ask for a calendar for Christmas then… Great, that meant she'd have to do some shopping soon. Pushing through dense crowds while her ears were assaulted with the incessant sound of carols was far from her idea of fun. "Ah think Ah'll pass for now."

"Really?" Kitty pouted, and then her eyes widened. "But oh my God, have you bought any presents yet? There are only 23 more shopping days left!"

"Kit, take a breath!" Rogue stared at her in disbelief, amazed that somebody could get so worked up about something like that. "No, Ah haven't got any presents yet – Ah was gone all of November, or did that slip yo' mind?"

"Of course not," she rolled her eyes. "But that doesn't mean you couldn't have done your shopping before that! I started mine in August."

"Unbelievable," the goth breathed, a bit bewildered by the amount of holiday spirit that could be condensed into such a tiny body.

"So when are you going to do yours?"

"Some other time, okay?" she informed her. "It's my first day back, Ah just wanna get back into th' swing of things, relax a bit… An' Ah've got some things Ah've gotta do."

"Oh… Sure, whatever you say," Kitty grinned, looking extremely smug, and Rogue knew that she was coming to her own assumptions. "And might those things involve a certain Cajun charmer?"

Rogue groaned and closed her eyes. "Uh, Kit, aren't the others waiting for yah or somethin'?" she asked, hoping it was true. She needed something to get her out of the conversation about to take place!

Maybe her luck was finally turning around, because she got her wish – or perhaps Kitty was just feeling particularly generous (or impatient to get to the mall). Whatever the case, Rogue was grateful when she good-naturedly agreed, "Yeah, they are. I'll let it go for now, but I want details when I get back, okay?"

"Fine," the Southerner relented reluctantly, but felt the need to make it conditional. "But only if there's somethin' ta tell!" Because, depending on how things went, there could be no news to share.

"Great!" Kitty trilled, and waved goodbye as she used her powers to melt down through the floor. "See you later then!"

"Bye," Rogue called, walking off. Before she could get very far, however, she heard Kitty call her name from behind her once more, and turned to take in the truly uncanny sight of her head sticking up from the carpet as she phased. "What now?"

"Just wanted to know if you've figured out what to get Remy for Christmas!" she teased cheekily as a parting shot, and luckily for her, phased away before her friend had time to react and throw a sketchbook at her.

Alone once again, Rogue sighed. There was another question that would eventually need an answer. Hmm… Would she get him something friendly and meaningful, or cold and effortless? She supposed it would depend on how things went between them.

That remained to be seen, and she would have to play the waiting game for a while longer. Entering one of the studies on the second floor, she settled herself on a window seat with a perfect view of the snow-covered gardens outside. Caught up in her sketching, focusing on accurately capturing the shadows the sun spilled across the glistening white blanket of flakes, the girl whiled the time away.

So caught up was she in her task that she failed to notice the minutes pass. She was finally shaken from her concentration only when a hand tapped her on her shoulder, startling her off the ledge.

"Woah!" she shrieked, tumbling onto the floor, which was thankfully slightly cushioned with carpeting. "Ooof…"

"Sorry, _chère_," came Remy's voice from above her, and she glanced up to see him cringing. "Didn't mean ta scare y' like dat."

"It's fine," she grumbled, shoving away his proffered hand as she hauled herself back into her sitting position. "Everybody seems ta be sneakin' up on me today."

"Oh. Feelin' a bit jumpy den?"

"More like tense," she told him. "Ah guess it's all th' stuff that's been goin' on…"

"Ah," he murmured, stiffening up and looking away.

An uncomfortable silence reigned between them once more, and Rogue sighed internally. One of them would have to say something, maybe then they could take it from there… Luckily, Remy took initiative.

Leaning down, he picked up the sketchbook from where it had fallen along with Rogue. Quickly glancing at the landscape she had been working on, he complimented, "Wow… Dat's beautiful."

"Thanks," she smiled slightly, ducking her head as she placed the book back in her lap. "I was just killin' some time…"

"Sorry I took so long," the thief apologized, plopping down in a chair a few feet away from her. "Was workin' on some self-defence wit' Bobby an' Ray. De Popsicle kept makin' sheets o' ice f'r Ray t' slip on, who den felt de need t' retaliate, so y' can imagine de never-endin' cycle dat set off."

"Ah hear yah," Rogue chuckled, and then smirked. "But who said Ah was waitin' fo' yah?"

"Why, _chère_! Who _wouldn't_ want t' wait f'r dis handsome Cajun?"

"Oh, anybody with half a brain?" she retorted.

"De _fille_ wounds me!" he gasped, clutching a hand to his heart and playfully swooning in his seat.

"Not yet Ah haven't," she grinned evilly, leaning towards him and batting her eyebrows. "Would yah like me to?"

"Why, I had no clue y' liked de kinky stuff!" he shot back with a leer, and she blushed vividly.

"Oh Gawd," she groaned, burying her burning face in her hands. She could hear him laughing loudly, and soon she joined in, her shoulders shaking.

The pair snickered and hooted for a good few minutes – even though the joke hadn't even been that funny, it was like the dam holding back all the tension between them finally burst, releasing the built up pressure. The other's mirth only served to further fuel their own, making it hard to stop. Finally their amusement died down, leaving them gasping for breath and wiping away tears.

"Wow, Ah really needed that," Rogue said, feeling much more buoyant than she had in a long time. There was nothing quite like shared laughter to help clear the air.

"Definitely," Remy agreed, chuckling sardonically. "So I guess de key t' fixin' de awkwardness between us is my innuendo?"

"Please," she rolled her eyes. "Nobody needs ta be subjected ta _that_. Ah think banter is what works. That, or just doin' anythin' that distracts us."

"Y're prob'ly right," he nodded, and then slyly suggested, "Would y' like a distraction, den?"

"No way! Ah know yah're thinkin' o' somethin' inappropriate!"

"Why _chère_, I was t'inkin' of havin' y' sketch me!" he revealed, inclining his head towards her art supplies. "Y' really _are _a kinky one, aren't y'?"

"Oh, whatever – _you're_ th' one with a mind dirtier than a dumpster, swamp rat. An' tell me, why exactly would Ah want ta sketch yah?"

His jaw dropped in mock-shock. "Have y' taken a look at dis Cajun lately?" Then he struck a dramatic pose, swinging his legs up over the armrest and flexing his arms behind his head in a position that would be right at home in a nudie magazine spread. And that certainly wasn't something Rogue wanted to think about in relation to Remy! That could only lead to bad places…

Shaking her head to clear it of said thoughts, she snorted and was about to hurl an insult his way when she was struck with a better idea. "Yah really want me ta sketch yah?"

"Sure," he shrugged languidly. "I meant what I said, y'r art is really good. An' maybe we can continue our conversation from earlier while y' work?"

"Sure, why not," she agreed, settling in a more comfortable position as she picked up a pencil. Concentrating on her drawing would probably help things along, taking her mind off of more serious matters. "Just sit still, okay?"

"Not a problem," he grinned, clearly pleased that she would care to immortalize him in such a pose. "I'll be as handsome as Michelangelo's _David_, henh? Wait, should I take my clothes off, den?"

"That might defeat th' purpose o' me sketchin' yah," she rejoined evenly, "Seein' as how Ah'd then have ta gouge my eyes out."

"Den y' must be de exception t' y'r gender, _chère_," he told her glibly. "Other _filles_ would stop at nothin' to get a glimpse o' me."

Rogue pursed her lips at the thought that automatically sprung to her mind, and she unconsciously pressed her pencil down to the paper with more force. "Yeah? Like Carol?"

The carefree expression was wiped from his face instantly, and he made to sit up straighter. "Look, Rogue, I –"

"Don't move!" she cried, indicating her work. "Do yah want me ta have ta start all over again?"

"Sorry," he recoiled, easing back to his original position and attempting to converse further without any enthusiastic gestures. "But look, I didn't mean t' make y' think o' her, I was just jokin'."

"Ah know," she replied with forced nonchalance, glancing up at him and then back down to her sketch. "Don't worry about it – we were gonna brainstorm ideas on how ta get rid o' her anyway, weren't we? That'd be kinda hard ta do without bringin' her up."

"Oh. True. Are y' sure, though? I mean, I can understand if it's upsetting t' talk about her…"

"Ah'm fine," the Southern girl snapped at him, annoyed at how he was suddenly tiptoeing around the situation. Everything was already out in the open, she knew all about it, so she certainly didn't need to be _sheltered_ from it anymore! "Stop beatin' around th' bush, swamp rat – do yah wanna get rid o' her or not?"

"More den anyt'ing!" he cried, nodding his head vigorously.

"Don't move!" she scolded him again, shooting a scowl in his direction.

"Sorry." He froze, with only his lips moving as he tentatively asked, "So… Any ideas on how I could go about dat?"

"Well, what have yah tried so far?"

"Just about everythin' I could t'ink of – ignorin' her, flirtin' with other _filles_, tellin' her I was engaged… Nothin' seems t' work. I'm still absolutely perfect in her book."

"Hmph," Rogue snickered. "She must be delusional then."

"No need t' be jealous, just because everybody wants a piece o' me," he winked at her.

She was about to sputter that she felt no such thing, but then she turned his words over in her mind and formed an idea. "Yah know, in a way yah're right," she mused calmly, never lifting her eyes off the paper – there was no need to check and see if he had a confused expression gracing his face at her agreement, since she was sure it would be there. "Yah pro'ly could attract anybody, couldn't yah?"

"Prob'ly… What are y' gettin' at?" he wondered suspiciously.

"Nothin' much," Rogue waved off his concern, biting back a smirk as she took a quick look at him. "Just thinkin' that maybe yah could pretend to be gay…"

"What!" he cried, about to shoot up from the chair had she not shrieked, "Don't move!"

"Sorry," he grumbled once more, staying into place, yet somehow managing to appear more petulant. "But I can't believe y'd suggest dat! _Again_."

"Why not?" she asked innocently, trying to suppress her amusement. "Like Ah said befo', it makes some sense – yah overcompensatin' for yo' true inclinations by flirtin' with every woman that so much glances yo' way…"

"Y're evil."

"Ah know," the girl grinned, quite pleased at making Remy squirm. "But Ah wasn't actually tryin' ta take a jab at yo' masculinity or anythin', Ah'm just suggestin' it as an idea. What better way ta get Carol ta dump yah than by thinkin' yah play fo' the other team?"

"Do y' honestly t'ink anyone would buy dat?"

"Ah'm sure yah could pull it off… Just act a bit mo' flamboyant, stick some pink in yo' wardrobe, which Ah'm sure Kitty could help yah with…"

"I don't t'ink so," the thief stated, resolutely shaking his head but then going still once again when Rogue looked at him pointedly. "Even if she did buy it, we'd still have de problem o' what she'd do if she finds out about me goin' after y'."

Rogue sighed wearily, looking away from his eyes and down at her sketchpad. "Why do yah keep bringin' that up? Ah've told yah how Ah feel about it."

"No, y've told me your _excuses_ about it," he baited her. "I t'ink y' _feel_ quite differently."

She wasn't going to bite, instead trying to turn things around on him. "Would it even matter if Ah did? From th' way things are goin', yah're gonna be stuck with Carol fo'ever!"

He shuddered at the thought.

"Don't move, swamp rat, how many times have Ah gotta tell yah?"

"Prob'ly a few more," he guessed, discreetly trying to stretch out his now sore muscles without stirring too much. "But back to de brainstormin'…"

"_Don't move_!"

The next little while passed like that, with the duo tossing options back and forth between them and Remy rapidly tiring from having to remain in the same awkward position for so long. Of course, none of this proved particularly productive – it only created more fruitless ideas and a rather irritated Cajun.

"Can I move yet?"

"No, Ah'm not done!" Rogue told him. "Anyway, where were we? At maybe tellin' Carol that yah can't call off yo' weddin'?"

"_Oui_," he replied, grimacing as his muscles twitched. "But after everyt'ing I've tried, I don't really have high hopes f'r dat workin'."

"Well, maybe yah can combine that with bein' an even worse boyfriend. How hard can it be? Ah mean, yah _do_ hate th' gal!"

"Too true," he grumbled. "Looks like I'll have t' stop hidin' dat fact."

"Best of luck with that, then – yah're gonna need it," Rogue declared, and then put down her pencil. "There, done!"

"Finally!" the thief yelled, rolling out of his seat and shaking his sore limbs. "_Merde_, dat was uncomfortable… Dis better be de best damn portrait ever, after all dat! Lemme see."

"All right, if yah insist," the girl said deviously, turning the pad over and presenting a lovely still-life of the coffee table and vase directly beside Remy's chair. "Yah like?"

His jaw dropped. "What's dat? Y' weren't drawin' me?"

"Did I ever say Ah was?" she questioned shrewdly.

"Y' kept tellin' me not t' move!"

"Well, that's cause yo' shadow would've shifted an' changed th' whole scene!" she explained reasonably, doing her best not burst out laughing. Oh yes, this little stunt had definitely helped to ease some of her hostility…

Remy groaned, letting himself crumple onto the floor in defeat. "_Chère_, y're cruel."

"Well, yah know what they say," she beamed in satisfaction, standing up to loom over him. "People have ta suffer fo' great art. Besides, Ah needed some payback, didn't Ah?" She then offered him her hand.

He eyed it for a moment, and then accepted. "Yeah, I guess I deserved that," he admitted, getting hauled to his feet but not letting go of her gloved digits. "Does dat mean y're feelin' better 'bout t'ings now?"

She knew he didn't mean what she felt currently – he was referring to the whole situation between them. It wasn't something she expected him to ask straight-up like that, but she supposed that showed how much this was eating away at him, and how desperate he was to know where he stood. Thinking about it for a few moments, she reflected upon everything that had happened between them. The tension seemed to have dissipated over the last little while – she felt much more at ease around him now. In fact, it had almost seemed like old times. Or would that be only temporary? Could it continue like this?

To hell with it… Rogue threw caution to the wind for once, and nodded as she broke out into a lop-sided grin. "Yah know what, swamp rat? Yeah, Ah think things are a lot better."

A matching grin erupted on his face and he clutched her hand tighter, bringing it up to plant a kiss on the back of it. "_Bien_. I can't tell y' how relieved dat makes me…"

She knew the feeling. She hadn't realized how much she had valued his friendship until it had disintegrated – she was infinitely grateful that it had somehow managed to be salvaged. Of course, it would take some hard and cautious work to rebuild it completely and keep it functioning, but now she felt it was possible. Things were on track once again, and that had both Southerners feeling better than they had in ages.

* * *

So their friendship is back on the trolley, if not a bit tentative. Will things improve, especially with Remy pushing for them to be closer but Rogue too scared to move forward? You know, that's a rather good question, isn't it? Hmm, I should probably work on that…

**Next chapter** – 'Tis the season… for mistletoe.

Did you know that there's a positive correlation between reviews received and happiness of the author? And an even stronger relationship between authorial happiness and authorial productivity? It's true! If you want proof, just leave some reviews!

Toodles,  
– ish –


	22. Gifts

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Is there really anything more that needs to be said?

**A/N:** So I look back at my other fics and wonder how on earth I managed to post all those chapters up within a few months… I guess I'm getting slow in my old age, eh? I'm sorry for taking so long, I really have no excuse. How about instead of trying to think up a plausible one, I'll just direct your attention to the brand spankin' new instalment below? Hopefully it will have been worth the wait!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 22 – Gifts**

_**December 2005**_

Oh Lord, it was the last thing she wanted to be doing. It seemed surreal to actually be there, about to ask it… It terrified her more than almost anything else she could think of right now, but it regrettably had to be done. There was just no getting around it, so Rogue took a deep breath and blurted out, "Look, Ah can't believe Ah'm in my right mind an' askin' yah this, but… Do yah wanna go to th' mall with me?"

Kitty blinked in surprise. "Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately," the Southerner grimaced. "Ah've gotta get all my Christmas shoppin' done, an' Ah could use some advice on what ta buy."

"Oh my gosh, of course I'll go with you!" the younger girl squealed joyously, going so far as to jump up and down in delight. "You know I'm always up for a trip to the mall!"

"That's what I was countin' on," she confessed (after all, it was practically her natural habitat), but Kitty wasn't listening. She was busy darting around the room like a hyperactive hummingbird, grabbing her wallet, cell phone, and various other items and stuffing them in her purse. When she began tossing in things like a water bottle and a hairbrush, Rogue simply had to wonder, "What are yah doin'?"

"What does it look like?" Shadowcat replied. "Getting ready to go! We'll need to be prepared – the water is to prevent dehydration, the hairbrush is to brush out the tangles I'm sure we'll get after forcing our way through crowds… A nail file might be a good idea too, there's nothing worse than a broken nail snagging on stuff. Oh, change into light layers – that way you can take some off inside without having to carry a bulky coat around, and you won't freeze while we're outside either. Hey, we should take some of those power bars from the kitchen, that way we can eat while we walk and not have to deal with the hassle of the food court!"

"Kit, relax – we're goin' shoppin', not on some week-long camping expedition!"

The girl looked at her oddly. "Rogue, shopping is all about strategy. It's a battle of wills, a test of endurance! Trust me, you'll thank me for all this preparation later."

"Somehow Ah doubt that," she sighed wearily. Just what had she gotten herself into?

- X -

She hated to admit it, but perhaps Kitty's seemingly overzealous planning had some sense to it. Despite the freezing temperature outside, as soon as they entered the packed mall they had been met with a stifling blast of heat. Taking off their sweaters and tying them around their waists, the girls set off on their mission. Rogue wished she could strip down another layer, but with so many customers milling about that option made her much too nervous. Well, she was used to it by now… But that still didn't mean she was comfortable in crowds, jumping nervously whenever somebody brushed by her.

"So, what exactly are we looking for?" the shopping expert queried, in her element. Rogue absentmindedly wondered if she would seek out a career as a personal shopper.

"Ah need somethin' for Kurt, Logan, yah, mah Secret Santa…" the girl ticked off the list on her fingers, and then paused. Did she really want to name the last person? Probably not, because it would surely lead to an interrogation full of girlish giggling on Kitty's part. But then again, it just so happened to be the gift she needed the most help on. She scowled and reluctantly admitted, "…an' Remy."

Her friend shrieked, and Rogue was utterly embarrassed as people around them turned to stare. "I _knew_ it! You two are _so_ totally cute together! What are you going to get him? Something romantic? It definitely has to send a message! Ooh, how about boxers?"

"Woah, woah, woah!" she froze in her tracks, throwing an arm out to halt the younger girl. "First of all, boxers? No way! Ah have no idea what Ah'm gonna get him yet, which is where _you_ come in, and most importantly, we're not a couple!"

"Oh please, that's just a technicality," Kitty waved away her protests, dragging her off by the arm and into a department store. "We both know you _want _to be, so why don't you give him something that tells him that?"

"Kit, this is hardly th' time or th' place ta discuss that!" Rogue grumbled, a bit put out that her denials of their relationship weren't taken seriously. Didn't she have valid reasons? As frustrating and depressing as they were, they _did_ exist, and they _did _make sense, but apparently only to her. Shaking her head, she insisted, "Ah'm givin' him a gift as a _friend_. We've finally got things back ta th' way they used ta be, an' Ah'd like fo' it ta stay that way for a while. Besides, yah know he's still with Carol, which complicates th' situation."

"Yeah, but –"

Rogue interrupted her, knowing a surefire way to steer the topic of conversation away from herself. "Now, what do yah think Ah should buy Piotr?"

"Piotr?" At mention of the Russian giant, Kitty's head perked up from where she was leafing through a rack of shirts. "You're giving him a present?"

"Yup. Didn't Ah mention it? He's my Secret Santa," she answered slyly, and watched as the girl's eyes widened.

"Really? Oh, that's such a relief!" she cried, releasing a breath. "I was trying to figure out who drew his name – I was hoping it wouldn't be Amara, I've seen the way she's been eyeing him! Good, if you're the one then there's nothing to worry about."

"Absolutely," Rogue reassured her. Walking away from all the hideous pastel-coloured clothing, she glanced towards the men's section and smiled deviously. "Now, what do yah think he'd like? What was that yah suggested earlier, a pair of boxers?"

"What? Rogue! You can't be serious!" Kitty screeched in shock, dropping the blouse she'd been examining. "You can't give _my_ boyfriend _underwear_!"

She rolled her eyes while picking up a large silver belt buckle that looked like it fit Logan's tastes. "Relax, Kit, Ah was jokin'."

"Oh. I knew that," she said sheepishly, turning slightly pink. "Sorry about that."

"Not a problem," the Southerner replied simply, but then couldn't resist some more teasing. "Ah'll leave th' boxers to yah."

"What? I didn't buy him boxers!"

"Maybe yah should."

She opened her mouth to defend herself, but then shut it the next second as she contemplated the suggestion. "Actually, maybe that isn't such a bad idea…"

"Way ta go, Kit-Kat," Rogue laughed, glad her friend had overcome most of her shyness regarding Colossus. "Didn't know yah had it in yah!"

"Yeah, yeah," she blushed, attempting to hide her petite body behind a clothing rack. "Now, what _are_ you going to buy him?"

"Ah was thinkin' some art supplies," she mused, mentally going over the inventory she had seen in his room when she had gone in to borrow some materials. "Ah know there are a few things he needs, an' there are just some things an artist can never have enough of, like canvasses an' such."

"Oh, that's nice!" Kitty complimented the idea, but then pouted. "I wish I'd thought of that."

"Well, what did yah get him then?" The question sounded more annoyed than it was meant to, as they two mutants tried to maneuver their way through a gaggle of women all jostling each other over a sales bin.

"A book," came her reply as they wandered into the jewelry section. She noticed Rogue's eyebrow quirk in skepticism and elaborated. "He was telling me about his favourite book – it's some Russian novel that I can't pronounce properly. He has this dog-eared copy he's read a million times, but Dr. McCoy managed to help me track down a first-edition in Russian that's in great shape. I hope he'll like it!"

"Of course he will," Rogue told her genuinely, glancing over the cases full of sparkling gemstones. "It's good yah got what yah did – that's a very girlfriendy-type gift. Mine's more of a friend-type gift. See, Ah need ta find somethin' perfect like that for Remy!"

"What, the perfect girlfriendy-type gift?" she echoed slyly, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't together."

"We're not! Ah meant somethin' perfect, _friend-wise_!" the girl stressed, a bit flustered. Honestly, would Shadowcat ever let it go? She had no desire to spend the next few hours censoring whatever she said so as not to give any wrong impressions.

At least Kitty seemed to take it in stride, shrugging her shoulders and enthusing, "Whatever. Let's get to it then!" Then she bounded off, bouncing between the display cases until something caught her eye. Peering inside at a multitude of chrome timepieces she asked, "What about a watch?"

Looking over them herself, Rogue shook her head. There were a few that were nice, but they just weren't right – nothing really jumped out at her. "Nah, he's already got a good one." She hadn't specifically asked him about it, but she had a feeling he'd acquired it through less than legal means (not that it really bothered her that much though).

They meandered through the section until accessories gave way to perfumes. "Well, maybe some cologne, then?"

Rogue shrugged, picking up the kind he used and taking a whiff. She loved the spicy scent but she still wasn't sure. "Maybe… But it just seems too practical, ya know? Like, 'here, have th' cologne yah use, now yah won't have ta go out an' buy more when yah run out'. Ain't a lot of thought involved in it, is there?"

Kitty ignored her point entirely, instead grinning and pointedly commenting, "You know what kind of cologne Remy uses?"

Now Rogue was the one to disregard her, saying, "Maybe if Ah can't find anythin' else Ah'll get some as a last resort. Let's keep lookin'."

"Sure," the younger girl agreed with a smile, knowing full well that her question had been avoided, but letting it slide. For now. She led them out of the department store and towards the mall entrance, and they passed the men's section once again. "What about clothes?"

"That's probably not a good idea. If Ah get him a shirt he'll just say, 'Oh, are y' sure y' wouldn't rather see Remy without one?', and if Ah get him pants then he'll just say, '_Chère_, are y' givin' Remy pants just so y' can get int' dem?', or somethin' lame like that." By now Kitty was in hysterics over Rogue's impersonation (her attempt at his accent was pretty good, she thought), but then she got a mischievous glint in her eyes as she opened her mouth to say something. The Goth quickly cut her off. "An' don't yah dare suggest gettin' him boxers!"

"Hey, it's an option, isn't it?"

"No, it _definitely_ ain't!"

Their bickering went on as they passed a few more stores, then going inside one to browse. Despite the annoying carols being piped over the speakers and the long lineups at the cash registers, Rogue was in a good mood after purchasing some other gifts. She bought the art supplies for Piotr like she had planned, managed to find some comics Kurt was missing from his collection, and picked up some motorcycle accessories she knew Logan had admired.

However, after a few more hours of pushing her way through crowds of obsessive shoppers, she was almost at her wit's end. She had gotten almost everything she needed – she had even managed to sneak off and pick up some items Kitty had been eyeing while she'd been in the bathroom, which thankfully saved her a return trip to the mall. While that was a plus, the fact that she still hadn't found anything for the Cajun was aggravating her beyond belief.

There were still a few stores left though, and the girl refused to give up just yet. The two mutants wolfed down the protein bars they'd packed with them (Rogue forced to eat her words about over-preparedness as well), and soldiered on. Their tenacity paid off, because then they found it.

The store hadn't seemed like it would yield any results, chock full of random memorabilia and chintzy knickknacks, but as they perused Kitty stopped and pointed at a poster on the wall. "Hey, what about that?"

Rogue came over and found herself looking at a scene of New Orleans at night, the bright lights shining and reflecting over the Mississippi River. Despite her never having visited the Big Easy before, it incited a strong sense of nostalgia for the South – she could only imagine that was how Remy felt too, being so far away from home. Suddenly that inspired her, and a grin spread slowly across her face. "Kit, Ah just got a great idea… But we're gonna have ta make a few more stops."

"Not a problem," the other girl readily consented, but there was a questioning look on her face. "Mind telling me what that idea is though?"

"Yeah, Ah'll fill yah in while Ah pay fo' this," Rogue said, grabbing a copy of the poster and heading for the line. "Ah hope he'll like it…"

- X -

_**Christmas Day…**_

She'd been looking forward to sleeping in, since for once they didn't have a Danger Room session scheduled for an obnoxiously early hour of the morning, but of course, things didn't go as planned. Instead she was woken by the sounds of rambunctious kids running down the halls, yelling, "It's Christmas, it's Christmas! Let's open presents!"

Rogue rolled over and smothered a pillow over her head, trying to drown out Jamie's shouts and Rahne's excited shrieks. It did no good – they may as well have been a herd of elephants instead of mutants, the way they were stampeding. Still, the noise faded as they moved downstairs, and since she remained in that lazy haze halfway between sleep and awareness, she did her best to try and doze off again.

Apparently she managed, because a short while later she was jarred awake once more, but this time by a knocking on her door. Outside the room Jubilee called out, "Rogue?"

Her response was a growl that no doubt scared the girl, but unfortunately not enough to stop her from persisting. "Rogue, I know you're in there! Can you come downstairs please? The Professor won't let us exchange presents until the whole house is ready!"

"Well, obviously Ah ain't ready!" Rogue shouted hoarsely, her voice scratchy as she used it for the first time that day. "Go away!"

She spat that out with so much venom that it must have scared the girl off, because then there was another period of peace. Sleep began to beckon her back into its warm, soothing embrace, but then there came another rap on the door. She snarled.

"Rogue?" It was Bobby. Oh, he would pay for this later – the Southerner's mind had already begun coming up with deliciously humiliating plans for revenge, made all the more torturous by the fact that her mind was still foggy and thus didn't take into account such things as appropriateness and illegality. "Come on, Rogue, get up! We all want our presents, don't you?" He waited and he listened for her answer, but none came. "Seriously, am I gonna have to ice up your room to force you to come out?"

He wouldn't _dare_. The boy seemed to realize it as well, weighing the _extremely_ negative consequences Rogue would undoubtedly inflict upon him versus the temporary gratification of present opening, and then leaving in resignation.

There were a few more moments of quiet, with her beginning to drift off anew, when this time the door shook on its hinges. Clearly the younger mutants were desperate and had pulled out the big guns.

"Stripes!" Logan shouted. "Get yer ass outta bed! The kids are drivin' me crazy!"

"Well, ya'll are drivin' me crazy too!" she grumbled, the blanket she pulled over her head muffling her words, but she knew perfectly well that Logan would still be able to hear her. "Can't a gal get any sleep around here?"

"Come on, everybody else has dragged themselves down there," the man wheedled. "Could ya just come an' shut them up?"

"Make me!"

There was a pause before he said, "You're really askin' me that, kid? 'Cause ya know I'll barge in there and pull ya out kickin' an' screamin' if I have to." She groaned, knowing he was serious. But then, providing her with added incentive, he added, "Hank's gonna make breakfast, and the coffee's almost ready – that temptin' enough for ya?"

She turned over onto her back and deliberated on her options. Dr. McCoy's cooking was delicious ("It's just edible chemistry!"), and coffee was even more enticing… Plus everybody else was already down there, so she wouldn't have to suffer through the early hour alone. When measured against the embarrassing scenario of literally being dragged out of bed, there really was no choice but to agree.

"Ah'm comin'," Rogue sighed unenthusiastically, tossing off the covers and stumbling out of bed.

"Thanks, Stripes," Logan grunted, sounding relieved – the kids were probably bothering him as much as they had her. "See ya down there."

The girl slowly staggered around her room as she got ready, grumbling disparagingly the entire time – let the others call her a scrooge, but she wanted her sleep! She was halfway through pulling on a pair of sweats when she realized the holiday certainly called for something more formal, so she had to start all over again. Pulling a knee-length black skirt and a green silk shirt out of her closet, she quickly threw them on and pulled a black sweater over top. After applying her makeup and deciding she looked presentable enough, she leisurely headed downstairs, pulling on her gloves on the way.

"Mornin'," she greeted everybody when she entered the dining room. Half answered her back perkily while the other half mumbled it, obviously not fully awake just yet. She could relate, but felt slightly more sentient after grabbing a cup of coffee.

Sitting down between Kitty and Kurt, Rogue began shovelling in some of Beast's scrambled eggs – not as fast as Kurt was, however, because the speed he ate at could probably rival Quicksilver, or even the Blob. Although to be fair, the younger students were consuming the meal quickly too, obviously under the impression that the faster they ate then the faster the gift exchange could commence. Smirking slyly to herself, she decided to slow her pace – they certainly needed a lesson in patience, and if they were going to force her to get up early then she was going to force them to wait as long as she possibly could. Glancing over at Remy, whose drooping head was propped up by one of his hands, it appeared he had the same idea. Or maybe he had just fallen asleep…

As she looked him over, the nagging doubts she'd had over the past few days began to resurface. Would he like his present? She had considered it quite a brilliant idea when it had first struck her, but now she was questioning it. She thought it would send a friendly message, but what if it was _too _friendly? Or not friendly enough? Would it compare with what he had bought her? And that thought sent her into an entire new realm of worry – what kind of point would _his_ gift send? Knowing him, it would be a more-than-friends vibe, just like he'd been pushing on her lately, and that made her nervous. What would it be? Would it even be appropriate?

Her thoughts ran away with her, distracting her so much that she didn't even notice Storm clearing away her plate when she'd stopped eating. "I believe we are all finished?" the woman asked, smiling around the table. "Perfect, then shall we move into the den and start the Secret Santa exchange?"

The herd of elephants managed to manifest itself again, with a majority of the students charging off. Rogue followed at a dawdling pace, still wondering about what she would be unwrapping, and an unsettling feeling telling her that she probably wouldn't want to do it in front of everybody else. For that matter, she didn't particularly want to give him her present with the others watching either – who knew what they would read into it?

But upon entering the den, bedecked with garlands and holly and an enormous shimmering tree standing in the corner, the girl's worries temporarily fled. It was a stereotypical Christmas scene, with the kids holding boxes up to their ears and shaking them, a fire crackling in the grate, and even fluffy snowflakes falling outside the window (courtesy of Storm) – at any other time she probably would have waved it off as cheesy (like a Norman Rockwell painting, really), but there was something warm and pleasant about it. It seemed her small Grinch heart grew three sizes that day, because suddenly the excitement of Christmas seemed to materialize – so giving into a grin, Rogue joined the others and sat around the tree.

People began trading presents one at a time, and Rogue sat back to watch. Some were thoughtful, like the new journal that Rahne bought Jean, and some were just plain amusing, like the flame decals that Jamie gave the Professor to stick on his wheelchair.

And after all of the talk with Kitty about boxers, it appeared somebody else had the same idea – they were given to Remy, a silk pair with a playing card pattern all over them. "Nice!" he had chuckled, and then looked over at where Jubilee, Rahne, and Amara were clustered – everybody assumed it was one of them who had dredged up the courage to give him something like that. "An' which one o' de _jolies filles _do I have t' thank f'r dis?"

It came as a surprise when they all looked at each other confusedly. "Uh, I don't think any of us bought those," Jubilee replied with a frown.

"Er, actually, I think that's supposed to be from me," came a voice from the corner, where a beet-red Scott was doing his best to blend into the wallpaper.

Remy's (and everybody else's, for that matter) eyebrows shot up in astonishment. "Really? Uh, Scooter, I'm flattered, but I don't swing dat way."

"It's not what you think!" he sputtered, looking as embarrassed as Rogue had ever seen him, and she couldn't stop herself from joining in on the side-splitting laughter. "I was running late and asked Jean to pick something up for me!"

"Ahh, den it's from Jean?" the Cajun's smirk grew wider, and winked at the redhead. "Why, _merci beaucoup_."

Cyclops shifted from embarrassment to irritation, gaping at his girlfriend. "I can't believe you bought him _underwear_!"

"Relax, Scott!" she attempted to placate him, which was hard when she herself was giggling. "It was just a gag!"

The two of them trailed off into a whispered discussion while the gift swapping continued. Bobby gave Rogue a CD she had been wanting, so she decided to keep with the holiday spirit and not exact revenge on him for waking her up that morning – when she told him so, he acted as if it was the best present she could have given him (and with the revenge she'd been plotting, it probably was). Piotr genuinely enjoyed the art supplies she had purchased for him, which made her glad.

When all the Secret Santas had been revealed, people started going off on their own, eager to bestow presents upon their friends. Rogue watched Kitty and Piotr walk out, and eyed Ororo with curiosity as she dragged Logan off. Her nerves abruptly returned as she realized that the room was emptying but Remy remained – was it time for their exchange now?

He rose from his seat and began to walk over, but then Kurt bamfed in beside her. "You ready to go?" he asked.

"What?" she wondered in confusion, a bit too anxious to think straight. That only served to annoy her – why was she so worried about it? She could handle whatever happened, she told herself, and then recalled she had asked her brother a question.

"Remember, you said you vould go to church vith me!" Nightcrawler reminded her. "Ve have to go now or ve'll be late!"

"Oh, right." She wasn't particularly religious but it was something that mattered a lot to the fuzzy elf, so when he had asked her to accompany him she had agreed. Now she was glad she did, because it would at least put off the inevitable for a little while longer. "Sure, let's go."

They got up to leave, moving past Remy on their way out, and she bid him goodbye.

"See y' later, _chère_," he replied, giving her a cheeky wink. "We'll get t' our gifts later, henh? Try not t' drive y'rself crazy by wonderin' what I got y'!"

Oh, if he only knew! But she rolled her eyes and sarcastically replied, "Gosh, Ah'll do my best ta contain myself." Inside, she was decidedly less composed. She knew that look – he was planning something! But what? Her stomach began to flip-flip nervously, wondering what on earth he had arranged. No doubt something inappropriate…

Kurt was probably thinking along the same lines, because as they walked away he glared back over his shoulder at the thief. "Vhat do you think he got you?" he queried, a protective tone to his voice. "It better be proper!"

"Ah'm sure it is," she told him, trying to calm him down while fighting her own misgivings. She just hoped he hadn't gotten her lingerie…

- X -

The moment of truth ended up being pushed back even further than she had expected. When she and Kurt returned, they ate lunch. The whole team then spent the afternoon watching 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas', 'Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer', 'A Muppet Christmas Carol', and every other holiday movie that was in the house. Rogue found herself enjoying it, getting even more into the Christmas spirit with a glass of eggnog (that Remy had inconspicuously managed to spike). After a delicious dinner, everybody congregated in the den once more to roast marshmallows, and Dr. McCoy began to read Dickens out loud.

Just as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come was making his appearance, somebody tapped Rogue on the shoulder. She jumped a bit, then looked to the side and saw it was Remy. He inclined his head towards the door and beckoned her to follow him. She bit her lip anxiously, debating whether or not she should go. Well, it would have to be done eventually, wouldn't it? She wasn't about to have a wrapped box sitting in her closet for the rest of the year, and she wouldn't be able to put it off any more… Glancing about, she saw that nobody was paying them any attention – the younger girls were giggling in the corner, the boys were immersed in a badly-bluffed game of poker, and Kitty and Piotr and Scott and Jean were cuddling by the fire. Taking a deep, bracing breath, she hauled herself to her feet, grabbed his present from under the tree, and trailed after the Cajun.

"So, yah just couldn't wait fo' yo' gift, huh swamp rat?" she taunted him as they climbed the stairs, trying to play it cool and shaking the box temptingly in front of him.

"I've been waitin' de whole day, I t'ink dat's long enough," he claimed, leading her down the hall and into his room. "Now, do y' want t' open y'rs first, or de other way around?"

"Oh, here, just take yours," she quickly decided, thrusting the package into his arms. She didn't want to drag this out any longer!

She watched Remy carefully as he sat down on his bed and ripped away the snowman wrapping paper, anxiously shifting back and forth on her feet. Some of her apprehension finally dissipated when he grinned upon seeing what was hidden inside. There was joy in his eyes as he lifted all the items out, everything Rogue could find that reminded her of New Orleans: the poster Kitty had come across, a jazz CD, a Mardi Gras mask, beignet mix, and she'd even managed to smuggle in a bottle of bourbon, which Remy laughed at delightedly when he saw it.

"Yah like it? Ah thought that since yah were a bit homesick, yah could make yo' own little corner o' th' Big Easy right here…"

Before she could react, the young man had swooped in and captured her in a hug. "I love it!" he exclaimed as he swung her around. When he put her down, he lifted her hand up and placed a kiss on the back of it, his eyes meeting hers, full of sincerity. "Nobody's ever given me anyt'in' so thoughtful before – _merci_, _chère_."

Rogue blushed, but couldn't help grinning in relief. Most of her worries had evaporated now – so much so that when Remy eagerly said, "Here, open y'rs," she found herself actually looking forward to it.

The package was soft and lumpy, and by squeezing it lightly in her hands she could tell it was some sort of material or cloth. She spared a second to speculate on if he really had bought her lingerie, and then decided to just bite the bullet and open it. As she tore the holly-print paper off, a cascade of emerald green silk spilled out and to the floor.

"It's beautiful!" she gasped reverently, examining what she could now see was a scarf – a gorgeous and clearly very _expensive_ scarf, made from the finest silk, with flowers delicately embroidered at both ends. She looked up and saw Remy standing there uneasily, much like she must have been earlier. "Ah love it," she told him with a smile, but that didn't appear to relax him.

If anything, he seemed all the more nervous when he cleared his throat and said, "I'm glad. An', uh, dere's one more t'ing I wanted t' show y'…"

Grasping her hand and pulling her over to the doorway, the thief glanced upwards. Following his gaze, Rogue's jaw dropped when she saw a sprig of mistletoe hung from the frame. "What... Remy, why –"

Before she could express any indignation over him deviously orchestrating something like this, he quickly stepped towards her. With her back to the doorframe there was nowhere to move, and he was pressed right up against her – she could feel the warmth of his body and her own began to heat up instantly, unable to control the tingles of electricity crackling and flowing through it. Her eyes wide, Rogue could only watch as Remy took the scarf from her hand and lifted it between their faces, and then he dipped his head in towards hers. Some faraway part of her brain knew exactly what he was doing, and yet it still made no sense to her – he couldn't, he _wouldn't_… Would he?

Then suddenly he _was_.

His lips tentatively touched hers through the scarf, and she could only stand there in shock. He'd kissed her! Her first kiss…

Not hearing any objections, Remy was emboldened. Moving in again, his lips caressed her once again, this time longer and with more pressure. Before she knew what she was doing she found herself responding, closing her eyes and lightly returning the kiss. Maybe she didn't have control over her body, because then her hands were trailing through his hair and pulling him even closer towards her, unable to get enough of the feel of him. She wasn't even cognizant of the silk between them, all she knew was that it felt wonderful – _she_, Rogue, the untouchable mutant, was actually kissing somebody… Kissing _Remy_.

Then that rather significant detail slowly began to register. Placing her hands on his chest and gently pushing him away, they broke contact. Looking up into his eyes, which seemed so bright that they were almost glowing, she rasped, "What… Why did yah do that?"

She watched him gulp, a flash of what could have been fear passing over his face, but it quickly disappeared. From the way he then stared at her lips it appeared as if he wanted nothing more than to repeat his actions. Forcing his gaze away and up to her eyes, he murmured, "I'm sorry, I just couldn't take it any more… I had t' show y'."

"Show me what?"

His manner became one of resoluteness as he firmly stated, "Dat I'm not afraid of y'."

Rogue stared at him, confused. "I never said yah were," she uttered slowly, not fully comprehending.

Her fellow Southerner cocked a dubious brow. "_Non_, but y' seem to t'ink I should be."

Her ire flared up at those words – had he forgotten what her powers were, what they had done to Carol? Of _course_ they were something to fear! "Damn straight, swamp rat! Yah know what mah powers mean! Yah know what they can do, what they already _have_ done!"

"Rogue, y're de one scared o' y'r powers, not me," he argued adamantly.

The girl scowled, wanting to cross her arms over her chest, but Remy was still standing so close to her that the action proved impossible. As a matter of fact, he was standing so close that it was hard for her to think straight. After a few beats she was finally able to respond with, "So what if Ah am? There's good reason for it, ain't there? Maybe yah _should_ be scared!"

"Y'd like dat, wouldn't y'?" He narrowed his fetching eyes. "I'm tired of dem gettin' in de way."

She stiffened, feeling like she'd been slapped in the face. "Yah don't think Ah am too? But they're always gonna be in th' way, that's what Ah'm tryin' ta tell yah!"

"No, _chère_, you _let_ them be in de way! Dat's what I'm tryin' t' show y' now!" he cried, clutching her upper arms firmly. "I kissed y', didn't I? An' y' kissed back – so don't y' _dare_ feed me de same ol' story of y' not wantin' de same t'ing I do."

Staring into his stormy eyes, with his body pressed tightly up against hers, Rogue was overwhelmed. Feeling as if whatever she would say Remy would see right through, she finally cried out, "Fine! Yes, Ah want yah as more than a friend, are yah happy now?" There, she had said it. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest, and yet it didn't manage to make her feel much better. Because, as she then added, "There still ain't much we can do about it though!"

She had seen a grin begin to break out on his face at the start of her confession, but those following words had quickly dampened it. She felt bad for ruining his moment of elation, but things had to be kept in perspective, didn't they? But instead he cocked his head and irately said, "Dat ain't true. Remember just a few minutes ago when I kissed y'? Don't tell me I have t' refresh y'r memory already."

"No, yah don't, but… Through a scarf? That's not a real kiss, Remy. Is that really what yah want?" she questioned him, unable to believe anybody would really be willing to settle for such a cheap imitation of intimacy.

He seemed a bit insulted at her query. "Felt real enough t' me, an' pro'ly to y' too, henh? Besides, I keep tellin' y' an' tellin' y' – I want _you_."

His intense gaze and sincere speech were enough to make a girl go weak in the knees, and for once Rogue was no exception. However, that stopped when her pessimistic mind once again began whispering, dousing her with harsh reality. "Ah feel th' same way, but… Ah'm not th' only one, am Ah? What about Belladonna an' Carol?"

At the mention of their names, his expression darkened. "_Chère_, y' _know_ I don't care about dem!"

"Ah know, but… Ah mean, what's th' point of startin' a relationship if they're just gonna end it? Not only do Ah not wanna share yah with Carol, but yah said if she finds out, which Ah'm sure she eventually will, she'll flip! An' if by some miracle she doesn't, what, are we just gonna sit around an' wait until Belle calls y' back down South fo' yo' weddin'? Things are pretty much over before they've even begun!"

Remy froze, and then blinked. Peering at her intently, ready to detect any lie or fib she might toss his way, he asked, "Does dat mean if dey were out o' de picture an' I asked y' out, y'd say yes?"

Rogue closed her eyes, suddenly feeling drained. Shaking her head, she tiredly pointed out, "But they're _not_ out of th' picture –"

"Please, _chère_, just answer de question! Give dis Cajun somet'in' t' hope f'r, henh?"

She wasn't quite sure if her answer was due to doubting things would ever work out or because it was the truth, but she found herself nodding. "Yeah… Yeah, Ah guess Ah would."

He beamed, looking very much like Christmas had come early – or rather, since the day's festivities were already over, like next year's had already come. "Ah, y' have no idea how inspirin' dat is… I'm gonna hold y' t' dat!"

Despite her negativity surrounding the circumstances and her helplessness regarding her powers, a small part of Rogue was glad she had provided Remy with further motivation – because that part of her wanted to see his goals accomplished too, for him to be rid of the other girls and clear the path to her. But would it ever happen? It seemed like a long-shot…

"Best of luck with that then, Cajun," she found herself saying. She felt much too wary to say anything else, to keep up the futile arguments that he didn't heed.

"I t'ink I'll need a lot more den just luck," he admitted wryly. "But with such an amazing' reward waitin' for me, dere's no way in hell I'm givin' up."

She didn't know how to reply to that. What could she do, tell him to not even bother trying? She couldn't find it within herself to shatter his hopes like that – or hers either, for that matter. No matter how unlikely it all seemed, it was nice to think that things could possibly be resolved…

So she simply smiled, gathering her present back up into her hands and deciding to leave things at that. There was nothing more that could be said – at least, nothing that wouldn't prompt more stubbornness and shattered dreams… Perhaps it was best to let things lie for now.

Before she could stop herself, she slid the silk over her lips as she placed one last peck to his cheek, feeling a burst of affection for him well within her. "Merry Christmas, Remy," she whispered, before moving away and walking down the hall.

"_Joyeux Noël_, _chère_," she heard him murmur in response, and she smiled, but it was bittersweet.

A revelation had been made – she really did want him, and he actually wanted her in return… It seemed almost too good to be true, but then there were all the obstacles that remained.

With too many thoughts to keep track of racing through her mind, she didn't know how she made it back to her room, but somehow she managed. Entering and shutting the door behind her, Rogue fell back against it and slid down to the floor, overwhelmed with the intensity of what had just occurred. She still couldn't believe it, even as she pressed the scarf up to her face. He truly had given her a wonderful gift – it was more than the mere material item, it was her very first kiss, and… Well, she had to scoff at the cliché, but it truly had been magical.

And yet, as lovely as it was, it had left her longing for more already… But not through any barrier. She wanted skin-on-skin contact, was that too much to ask? And now, after experiencing what she had, she craved the real thing more than ever.

* * *

Yay, smoochies! Took 'em long enough, eh?

**Next chapter** – the aftershock of the mistletoe fiasco…

But soft! What light through yonder computer screen breaks? It is a review, and it makes ish smile. …Yeah, sorry for mangling Shakespeare like that. Tell you what, if you review I promise to never do that again! ;-)

Toodles,

– ish –


	23. Admissions

**Disclaimer:** Nowhere do the X-Men have my name on them. I suppose that means they're not mine… Bummer.

**A/N:** Spring has sprung, a time when a young writer's fancy turns to thoughts of the next chapter she should really get started on writing… Can I tell you how much it's throwing me off to be in the midst of warm, sunny weather and trying to get in a Decembery mood to write these chapters? Guess it's my own fault for falling behind, eh? Yup. Oh well, maybe I'll be able to catch up soon… Hah, doubtful. But whatever – I'll do my best (I've been feeling oddly inspired lately!), and in the meantime, here's a chapter to tide you over!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 23 – Admissions**

_**December 2005**_

For the past few days, Rogue felt as if she was being pulled in two directions, stuck smack-dab in the middle of a mental game of tug-of-war. A part of her wanted to keep replaying the kiss again and again in her mind, practically swooning with delight over how wonderful it had been. Another (and unfortunately more prevalent) part of her felt it was like a slap to the face, a harsh reminder of what she could never really have. She tried her best not to reminisce about it at all, but consciously trying not to think about it still involved thinking about it, which really got her nowhere.

Another factor that exacerbated Rogue's dilemma was the person involved in said lip-lock. Every time she saw Remy she felt like blushing, something she certainly didn't want – what sort of impression would that convey to everybody around them? That wasn't even the worst of it though. She was torn between wanting to slap the Cajun for his audacity and wanting to whip out that scarf once more and lay another one on him.

Neither would be a particularly good idea. Her mind was fully aware of that, and yet she couldn't stop her warring emotions. Dreadfully confused with the situation, she had found that the only thing she could really do was avoid Remy. It wasn't the best or most mature of strategies, and it certainly wasn't any type of permanent solution, but it was the only plan she currently had. She needed time to think things through, to determine what on earth she was doing and what the hell she wanted… Because honestly, she just wasn't sure anymore. Then again, had she ever been?

Regrettably, the girl needed counsel. She hated asking for any, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Perhaps a different point of view was what she needed? Maybe she had been putting too much thought into it, because nothing she came up with made sense to her anymore. Looking at her problems with fresh eyes and a clear head would probably help, and she knew of only one person who could offer such things – thus she found herself knocking on Kitty's bedroom door.

"Come in!" her friend called. Rogue took a deep breath, steeling herself (did she really want to do this?) and then forcing her legs to move forward.

Entering the pastel-pink room, she saw her curled up on the bed reading one of her romance novels. "Hey Kit," she greeted her, plastering on a smile – although the best she could muster was a weak one.

Kitty noticed something was wrong immediately, for which Rogue was glad – that made things a little easier, for now she wouldn't have to swallow her pride and _explicitly_ ask for help. Shooting up from her reclined position, Shadowcat practically lunged at her and forced the Southerner down beside her. "What's up? Sit and spill, _now_."

She wanted to snort at the authoritative demand, but she still did as ordered. "Ah… Ah need some advice."

"Oh!" Kitty blinked, obviously unaccustomed to her not closing up faster than a steel trap. Still, she recovered quickly and chirped, "Just think of me as Dear Abby! Uh, or Ann Landers… Oh, I don't know, pick one and tell me what the problem is!"

"Only on one condition."

She frowned, but quickly weighed the potential stipulations against her being left out of the loop (something that irked the girl to no end) and readily agreed. "All right, what?"

"Promise me yah won't squeal or giggle madly, okay?" Rogue beseeched her. The last thing she wanted was giddiness – it might only prompt her deeply repressed inner girly girl to join in, and while she had to admit the situation _did_ partially call for it, she had to remain focused on the more serious aspects.

"Ooh, it's squeal-worthy?" the Chicagoan perked up, bouncing on the mattress in anticipation. A look from Rogue quickly silenced her, and she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, _fine_, I promise. Or at least, I promise to try my best – depending on what you tell me it might be impossible, you know."

She figured as much – telling the girl anything even remotely linked to love and passion and amorous gestures was guaranteed to elicit some sort of gushing response (frankly, she was surprised windows didn't shatter with the intensity of Kitty's shrieks while watching romantic comedies), so it was probably futile to try and prevent it. Still, if it would help her retain some shred of sanity amongst all this… Well, there was nothing left to do but tell her, so she braced herself to blurt it out.

"Remy kissed me."

There was a shocked silence. Clearly Kitty hadn't been expecting news of that calibre, because it seemed to take a minute to sink in. First she blinked, and then her jaw dropped. Rogue could practically see the squeal building up, with her lungs expanding to take in all the air she would need, but before she could expel it the Goth cried out, "Stop! Don't yah dare!"

"Oh my God, how can you expect me _not_ to react to that?" Kitty exclaimed, falling backwards onto the bed. Then she did the next best thing to release her excitement, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it excitedly. A muffled "Eee!" was all Rogue heard, and for that she and her ears were grateful.

Her muffled screeches were surprisingly brief, and she quickly got right down to business. "Okay, now, tell me _everything_, all the juicy details!"

What was she expecting, a play-by-play? As it was, there really wasn't anything too steamy to tell, and Rogue said so.

"Please," Kitty scoffed, clearly not opposed to kissing and telling. "He _kissed_ you – there has to be _something_ scandalous or sensational or… salacious about it!"

Rogue rolled her eyes at the alliteration. "Yah've definitely been reading too many o' those romance novels…"

"Hey, at least they're improving my vocabulary! And don't try and change the subject – tell me!" she commanded, leaning forward in captivated attention.

"Ah'm gettin' to it… But try not to interrupt, okay? It's already awkward enough talkin' about this…" Rogue mumbled shyly. She wasn't used to discussing dishy gossip with her friend. Or rather, she _was_, but it was never about _her_ – and certainly never about kissing! This was new territory for her, and seeing as how she usually had to be forced into talking about much less personal topics, it was no walk in the park.

At least it helped a little that Kitty drew her fingers across her lips, mimicking zipping them shut. She could be trusted to keep things secret, which was reassuring, so the Southerner decided to just bite the bullet.

"Okay… So Remy gave me a scarf for Christmas." Kitty opened her mouth to speak but Rogue cut her off, anticipating what she was going to ask. "It's green silk with embroidered flowers, and yes it's sweet of him, and yes, Ah like it. But th' more important thing is that after he gave it to me, we were under some mistletoe… An' he kissed me."

Here she paused, unable to stop her mind's eye from gazing over the scene once more. The lull in her tale opened the door for the other girl, who eagerly gushed, "That is _so_ adorable! I bet he _totally_ planned the whole thing. He must have, since nobody else put any mistletoe up around the mansion! How was it? Was it nice? Oh, of course it was nice. He seems like he'd be a good kisser, is he a good kisser? Was it a peck, or open-mouth? What'd he taste like? What – oh…" Here Kitty broke off abruptly, stumbling on her wording. "Um, but how exactly did he kiss you without… You know…"

"Me suckin' out his soul?" she finished wryly.

Kitty nodded shamefully. "Uh, yeah… I was going to phrase it more delicately than that, but –"

"Don't worry about it," Rogue brushed it off, accustomed to less tactful language (she had heard every insult possible from Carol, after all). Then she explained, "He used th' scarf." Seeing the mystified look on Kitty's face, it was elaborated. "He brought the scarf up between our lips an' kissed me through it."

"Oh!" the other mutant realized, and then clasped her hands to her chest wistfully. "Wow, that's so romantic and clever of him… See, I _told_ you he wasn't afraid of your powers – and he's even found a way around them!"

"Don't gloat," the Mississippian grumbled, remembering the countless times that she'd pushed her towards the Cajun, acting as if her powers were a mere technicality. They were hardly something to be overcome so easily, and that was partially the reason why she was seeking advice in the first place.

"Sorry… But what's the problem then? This is so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Kitty tittered gleefully, grasping her hands and shaking them in an eager motion.

It seemed as if she was being given a congratulatory handshake, and Rogue cracked a slight smile at her enthusiasm. She had to own up that a part of it _was_ wonderful, and she fondly thought back to the feel of his gentle pressure on her lips… But then remembered the harsh reality of it, that it was only through fabric, and her spirits were dampened again.

"That's th' thing…" she began slowly, wondering how to articulate her feelings. "Ah _wanna_ feel happy about it, Ah really do, but Ah just can't seem to."

"Why not? Rogue, this is a big deal! Don't you see that all your excuses have been thrown out the window now?" the younger girl cried, waving an arm towards her bedroom windows as if to illustrate her point.

Rogue frowned, first at her having called them excuses (they were _reasons_, she maintained!), and then at her thinking that things could be resolved so simply. "That's a bit naïve."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah mean, th' kiss was great, an' Ah never thought it would happen to me, but in a way it seems to have made things clearer," she sighed, looking down at where her fingers toyed with a loose thread on the flowery bedspread.

Kitty groaned, falling backwards onto the mattress in exasperation. "Oh Rogue, what have you come up with now?"

"Don't give me that crap, Kit – Ah think they're legitimate concerns!" she scowled, upset at the insinuation that she was merely overreacting. They _were_ reasonable things to worry about! "Seriously, is Remy going to be satisfied with only gettin' kisses through material?"

"You know what?" Shadowcat exclaimed, propping herself up again. "With all the trouble he's been going through to try and convince you to give a relationship a shot, he'd probably be happy even without being able to kiss you at all!"

"Ah don't think _anybody_ would be happy with only that… Heck, Ah don't think _Ah'd_ be happy with only that! Ah mean, Ah've gotten one kiss an' Ah _already_ want more!" Rogue cried, throwing her hands up in the air in vexation. "An' Ah don't care what yah say, we both know that eventually Remy'll feel th' same way. Why should Ah put th' _both_ of us through that? It'd only be rubbin' both our faces in temptation!"

"Rogue, you're all over the map here! You want more kisses but at the same time you don't, you admit you want a relationship with him and yet you're denying yourself…"

"Ah know! Mah thoughts are all over th' place! Ah don't know what to do… Ah know yah've been tellin' me to give things a shot, an' Ah've wanted to, but then a little voice in th' back o' my head tells me that it can't go anywhere, an' it'll just end badly…." she started rambling, the words gushing out anxiously and her accent thickening in the process.

"You don't know that!" Kitty protested, trying to keep up her customarily optimistic outlook, but it failed to sound especially persuasive.

In reality there wasn't much of a silver lining to be found, and Rogue knew it. "Th' odds are against me, yah can't deny that."

"Odds? Who cares about odds? You're over-analyzing things!" her friend declared resolutely, grabbing her arm and squeezing firmly. "You have to stop listening to your brain all the time – which is way too pessimistic for its own good, I might add."

"Realistic…" Rogue corrected her, but her muttering was ignored.

"Do your best and ignore all that logical stuff – everybody knows that logic and emotions don't mesh!" Kitty continued to urge, and Rogue had to stifle a vague sense of amusement at hearing the brainy girl suggesting that rationality be scrapped. "You have to listen to what your heart tells you."

She sighed and commented caustically, "That's yo' advice? Ah could've watched a random chick flick an' gotten that without all th' harassment yah included."

The harsh tone did nothing to discourage her friend, who pithily rejoined, "If it's in all those movies then it must have some truth to it."

"Maybe it does… An' believe me, Ah'd like to do what yah're suggestin', but it ain't that easy," Rogue insisted, climbing to her feet and pacing the floor. "After all this time thinkin' Ah'd never get to do th' datin' thing, or find some guy that'd want me for me, now Ah have th' chance to grab that. There's an opportunity fo' me, an' Ah want ta take it, but…"

"But what? Rogue, please, just go for it!" came her recurring encouragement.

"It ain't that simple, Kit!"

"You're the one making it complicated!" she shot back, not backing down one bit.

"Am Ah?" the goth questioned sceptically, stopping in her path and raising a brow. This wasn't all her doing – the situation was already problematic even without her reluctance.

The other girl clearly didn't buy into that line of thinking and kept persisting. "Yes! This isn't about touching. This is about you having a relationship with somebody you care for, and who cares for you!"

Oh, if only things were that straightforward! But she seemed to be forgetting an imperative point. "And somebody who's engaged _and_ datin' th' girl sharin' my body," Rogue supplied.

Kitty froze, stopping her animated gesturing with a wince. "Oh… Oh my God, I can't believe how easy it is to forget about that. I'm sorry, I didn't think…"

"Don't worry about it, Ah know th' feelin'," she let the error go by. "It took a while to sink in fo' me too." She was surprised that something so serious and life-defining could ever slip her mind, but it did – and that made it all the worse, because then it hurt more when it popped back into her thoughts again.

"Well, that… That really does complicate things, doesn't it?" the other mutant stumbled awkwardly, unsure of what to follow that up with.

Rogue chuckled wearily. "Yah can say that again. The thing is, Ah don't know what Ah should do about it… Ah told Remy that Ah couldn't start anythin' with him until he's done with Belladonna an' Carol, but… Ah guess Ah'm questionin' that."

"What? Why? It seems like the right thing to say."

"Yeah, but it got me wonderin'… Will he ever be able to get rid of 'em? What if he can't? Then we'll never even get a chance to try an' see if things could work out. As wary as Ah am about th' whole thing, Ah don't want th' possibility to pass me by without me gettin' a say in it, yah know?" After so many things happening in her life that had been beyond her control, she wanted to have power over something! As unsure as the Southerner was about her decisions, _she_ still wanted to make them, not have them made for her.

"So you're saying…"

Rogue took a deep breath and admitted, "Ah'm sayin' that a part o' me is startin' to care less an' less about th' two o' them."

Kitty's eyes widened as that slowly sank in. "But –"

"Yeah, Ah know," she grimaced, beginning her pacing again, unable to meet her friend's shocked gaze. "Not only is it wrong an' makes me th' other woman, but it makes me a hypocrite too. Ah was so upset about Carol darin' to date Remy while in my body, but now Ah've actually thought about doin' th' same thing with no regards to her… Do yah think this is what she felt? She cared so much about him that nobody else seemed as important?"

"Don't you dare compare your conduct to hers, Rogue!" Shadowcat shouted, jumping to her feet. "I'd bet anything that Carol didn't even give you a second thought. You're not like that, not at all! You managed to remember that she's involved in all of this, and you _know_ it's wrong!"

She wrung her hands. "Yeah, it's wrong… But Ah still can't stop a part o' myself from wantin' it."

"I can understand why, but the important thing is that you have so far. You can hold out for a while more, I know you can," she encouraged her soothingly. "We'll figure something out – Remy's been doing his best to fix things, I've been trying to help him, and if he knows you're rooting for him then I'm sure he'll be even more motivated. It'll all work out, you'll see."

Rogue fell back onto the bed, slinging an arm across her eyes. "How on earth can yah be so optimistic?" she wondered. "Things seem pretty bleak to me." Actually, bleak was an understatement at this point.

"That means they can only get better, right?" the other girl pointed out cheerily.

"Yah jinxed it, Kit – they'll pro'ly get worse now."

She snorted in a manner eerily reminiscent of Rogue herself. "I don't believe that, and you can't let yourself either! Try your best to think positively – something will happen soon, I'm sure of it."

"Gawd, an' Ah thought things were complicated before…" She rolled over, burrowing her head in the sheets. She felt an urge to cocoon herself in the blankets and never come out again.

"They don't have to be. We can boil it down to the most important concepts – you're afraid of starting a relationship, but you're willing to give it a shot. Now's not the best timing for it, but when things are resolved with the other girls then it'll be all clear!" Kitty abridged things, walking closer and prodding Rogue until she flipped herself onto her back. "There, that's all you have to think about. Don't let yourself doubt any of that, or worry about the other stuff."

"Ah can't seem to stop myself though…" And then Rogue voiced one of the more nagging doubts that were plaguing her. "Yah don't think Ah'm bein' too demandin'? Ah sorta feel like one o' those gals who plays hard-to-get, makin' th' guy jump through tons o' hoops…"

"Not at all!" her friend quickly supported her, but then felt the need to amend the statement. "Er, well, I guess you _are_ making Remy jump through hoops, but he put them up himself. You're doing the honourable thing here, not wanting to start something while he's still involved. It's not wrong to want to be the only person he's with."

"Yah don't think it's a bit selfish?" Because it seemed that way to her – and if she was completely truthful with herself, then it partially was.

"It's moral and decent. Besides, that's what he wants too, so why not go for it?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but then recognized that the girl had a point. "…You're right. Thanks Kitty, that helps." It felt invaluable to have the opinions and ideas she was contemplating voiced out loud by another – if nothing else, it showed that her expectations weren't completely out of line.

"Not a problem! You know I'm totally rooting for you two, I'll do anything I can to help!" she vowed, plopping down and patting Rogue's gloved hand comfortingly.

"Yah've done so much already, Ah really appreciate it." Their conversation had helped a great deal. Now Rogue at least had an inkling as to what her future actions could be… At least, once things were settled with the other girls. But what could she do until then? Patience seemed like the only option.

But on her way out the door, tugging on a slipping glove, she looked down at her covered hands and wondered what exactly could be done following that. There was still the issue of her desires, her yearnings for _actual_ kisses that could never be truly attained… And that seemed to put a damper on everything else. The dismal realization struck that although the most pressing issues had been somewhat resolved, the underlying problems still remained – and likely would forever.

- X -

_**New Year's Eve**_

Remy wandered down the Institute's hallways, peering about and sighing in annoyance. She'd been avoiding him again. It wasn't as obvious as last time, but the Cajun had picked up on it quickly. The girl was good, he granted. She acted as she usually did when they were around other people, such as at meals and training sessions – they engaged in their regular banter, witty and quick, that most of the mansion probably still construed as them needling each other. They wouldn't have deduced that there was something out of the ordinary about it.

He knew better though.

It seemed Rogue was doing exactly what he had with Carol, staying in public places and trying to keep from being left alone with him. She was rather efficient at it as well, for he hadn't been able to talk to her privately since Christmas and… The Kiss.

The thief was sure that was what it was all about. It had to be the basis for the evasion, because as far as he knew he hadn't done anything else to make her upset. But even though a possible reason for Rogue shirking him was pinpointed, a full explanation still eluded him.

Had his plan backfired so spectacularly? He wouldn't have guessed that at first – she had kissed back, after all, and it had been amazing… She must have thought so too, obvious from the sparkle in her eyes and the rosy flush on her cheeks. He had to concede that perhaps his actions had been a bit forward, but they achieved the desired result, hadn't they? The girl _finally_ admitted that she wanted a relationship with him, and that had made his heart beat even faster than the kiss had.

_Dieu_, the kiss… Thinking back on it, Remy couldn't stop his features from breaking out into a goofy grin. Luckily nobody was around to see him, but even if they had, he wouldn't have cared. It had been the absolute best thing to happen to him since coming to the Institute and meeting Rogue. Since it had occurred, he must have replayed the moment in his mind hundreds of times. Had she done the same? He hoped so, because if it was affecting her in the same way it was him, then surely she would be much more willing to at last move ahead with making something more happen between them.

Then he frowned, coming to a standstill and momentarily ceasing his search. That was the real question, wasn't it? He didn't know how it was affecting her – and judging from her evasive manoeuvres, it was in a more negative way than he had anticipated. Had he made a terrible mistake? Had he pushed too hard, too fast, and scared her off? Who knew what was going on in that pessimistic, cynical mind of hers!

Remy cursed quietly under his breath and recommenced walking through the halls, determined to find the elusive Southerner and ask her exactly what she was thinking. It was time to get to the bottom of this – they had learned the hard way that keeping secrets and bottling things up was a combustible recipe for disaster, and after having just salvaged their friendship, he wasn't going to put it at risk by another stupid move on his part (as it was, there was a lot he could do to ruin things). And yet, reminiscing about the mistletoe moment once more, he really couldn't bring himself to lament it, no matter what it may have caused…

He stalked by one of the dens on the first floor, and the soft flickering glow of the television caught his eye. Halting in his tracks, he remembered that all of the house's inhabitants were gone for the evening. The adults were attending some black-tie gala, Scott had whisked Jean off for some ridiculously clichéd date, Kitty and Piotr were out doing something romantic the girl would undoubtedly be gushing about for days to come, and the rest of the kids had traipsed to downtown Bayville to catch the city's fireworks display. Remy had been invited, but refused – it was a family-oriented event, and where was the fun in that? Besides, he had more important matters to tend to.

And now it looked like he finally had said matter cornered. Quietly sneaking into the room, the young man moved to the couch and peered over the back. Sure enough, Rogue lay there in her baggy sweatpants and shirt, stretched out and watching the television.

"Gotcha, _chère_."

"Ahh!" she shrieked, falling off the couch in fright.

"I have dat effect on y' a lot, it seems," he observed dryly. She was nervous around him? That wasn't a good sign.

"Sorry, yah startled me," she apologized as she pushed herself up, focusing on brushing some dust and lint off her clothes instead of meeting his eyes. "Ah thought yah would've gone out with th' others."

"Why didn't y' join dem?" he wondered, walking around to lean against the armrest.

"Not really my thing," she replied with a shrug and a bittersweet smile. "Too crowded an' all – ain't my idea of fun to be stuck in th' cold for hours, squished between hundreds o' people. Why didn't yah go, though?"

"I wanted t' talk t' y'."

"Yah can talk to me anytime," she uttered slowly, lowering herself back onto the couch and seeming puzzled.

"Dat's not necessarily true, what with y' avoidin' me lately," he came straight out and said it. There was no use beating around the bush, not when Rogue would be doing plenty of that – he had to be the blunt one. Now that he had found her, he wasn't going to let her go without getting things out into the open.

"What? Ah have not!" she refuted, crossing her arms.

"_Oui_, y' have. It's pretty obvious – I just don't know why."

"Seriously, Ah haven't! Ah don't know what yah're talkin' about!"

He slid down off the armrest to sit beside her, grabbing her gloved hand. "Don't lie t' me, Rogue. I thought t'ings were goin' well between us, bein' more honest wit' each other an' such. Tell me, please? I need t' know what I did wrong."

She sighed, glancing away uncomfortably. "Yah didn't do anythin' wrong," she mumbled, her fingers twitching slightly in his grasp.

That was a relief, but it still left him perplexed. "Den what? Why are y' hidin' from me?"

"Ah told yah, Ah ain't hidin'!" she huffed petulantly.

"Hidin' in plain sight maybe, but y' were still doin' it," Remy persisted.

The girl was silent for a few moments, biting her lip – was she going to deny it again? No. Instead she said, "Yah're gonna think this is stupid…"

"_Non_, o' course I won't. Tell me," he pleaded, sensing she was close to opening up.

"Yeah, yah will – hell, even _Ah_ think it's stupid," she laughed bitterly at herself, shaking her head.

"Rogue, y're a lot o' t'ings, but stupid ain't one o' dem," he asserted, not liking to hear her say such self-deprecating comments. "I'm sure dat whatever de problem is, y've got a reason f'r feelin' de way y' do about it." His major worry was, did he happen to be one of those reasons?

"Look, it's really no big deal," she suddenly blurted out, wrenching her hand from his grip and reaching for the remote control. "Let's just forget about it, okay? So, which countdown do yah feel like watchin'?"

He raised an eyebrow at her abrupt change of subject and warningly intoned, "_Chère_…" His determination had worked before, and he was going to ensure it worked again. He wasn't going to let her skirting the issue – he needed to know!

"Oh, fine!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "It's the kiss!"

He knew it! But the tiny spark of satisfaction at having been right was snuffed out as his stomach sank a bit, recognizing that the moment he thought was so wonderful still managed to cause problems. With the way things had been going for him lately, it figured… But what were the specifics? "What about it? _Merde_, I'm sorry I didn't t'ink it through more, I didn't realize it would bother y' so much…"

"No, it's not that! It didn't bother me!" she hastily corrected him, and Remy looked up with a encouraged expression on his face. So she had enjoyed it then? But a more confused look followed when she continued, stammering, "Uh, that is… Well, it _is_ sorta botherin' me, Ah guess, but not really th' fact that it happened – more like _how_ it happened, an' what it means…"

The thief stared at her blankly, unable to follow. "I t'ink y're goin' t' have t' explain a bit more."

She took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair and forcing her next words out. "Look, Remy… Ah – Ah never thought Ah'd ever get a kiss, so that surprised th' heck outta me, but… It was wonderful, really."

His spirit soared at her confession, then plummeted back down to earth when he sensed something else was to follow. "_But_…" he prompted tensely.

"But at th' same time, it's been kinda… hauntin' me."

"How do y' mean?" He probably didn't have to ask that, since in a way it had been haunting him as well – he hadn't been able to go very long without it cropping up in his mind, the memory always being prompted by even the most seemingly-obscure cue. The other day it was by picking up a flyer in the newspaper and seeing the exact same shade of green of the scarf, and only this morning it was taking a sip of his coffee that was the precise warmth Rogue's mouth had been… Yet a sinking feeling in his gut told the Cajun that her associations were much less positive than his.

"It's just that…" Here her cheeks began to be stained with pink. "…Ah can't help wantin' more."

"More?" Remy blinked, that admission having been the last thing he expected. Then he grinned widely. "Why didn't y' say so, _chère_? Dis _homme_ would be happy t' oblige!"

"That's not what Ah meant," she glanced away again. "Ah mean… more as in, not through a scarf."

"Hey, feel free t' lay one on me right now! I can handle a little nap," he told her confidently, leaning towards her suggestively. Surely the price was worth it!

"No!" she cried out in alarm, shrinking back into the sofa as far as she could go.

It hurt Remy to see her frightened of him like that, and he felt like kicking himself for being too bold and presumptuous – he knew she hated absorbing people and was terrified at the possibility of having another permanent roommate for Carol up in her head. "_Desolé_," he quickly apologized, moving backwards a bit too give her some more space.

"No, Ah'm sorry, Ah… Ah didn't mean to be so jumpy," Rogue stuttered, and then shook her head in resignation. "Could yah really handle it? Do yah honestly think yah could take gettin' knocked unconscious every time yah want a kiss? 'Cause Ah certainly couldn't!" she cried. "It'll always have to be through some sort o' barrier, an' what happens when that ain't enough? How long will it take fo' yah to get tired o' that?"

And then comprehension dawned on Remy. It seemed the kiss had only served to reawaken all the doubts and insecurities that beleaguered Rogue about her powers. Why hadn't he anticipated that possibility before he had done it? He really had to learn to look before he leaped… But it was too late for that now, and no matter how much of a problem this caused, he couldn't regret his actions. He would simply have to prove to her that her thoughts on the matter were wrong.

"Do y' really give me dat little credit? Y' say I'll get tired of y' like y're some novelty – y're more den dat, don't y' know dat by now? I care about _you_, Rogue, not y'r powers! I know what I'm gettin' int' here," the young man insisted.

She quirked a brow at him disbelievingly. "Do yah really?"

"O' course!" he shouted, jumping to his feet and beginning to pace in agitation. "I've thought about it non-stop f'r weeks, ever since it finally sunk in dat I had actual feelin's f'r y'! I've been tryin' t' convince y' for _how_ long? Doesn't dat back up my claim dat it's not all about touch f'r me?"

"It ain't just _you_, it's about me too! Ah'm sayin' Ah _already_ want more, Ah wanna kiss yah fo' real – if we start a relationship, all that's gonna be there is temptation fo' th' _both_ of us!" she pointed out, glaring as he walked back and forth in front of her. She wasn't blushing anymore as she admitted her desires, her annoyance overcoming her embarrassment.

"Y've got t' stop bein' so fatalistic! It wouldn't have t' be dat way. I can be pretty creative, y' know – dere are ways around everythin'," he informed her smugly.

She valiantly fought against flushing at the implications of that, and it was quickly tempered by the grimness of the situation. "An' would yah really be happy with that? Doin' everythin' through gloves an' clothes an' scarves?"

"_Oui_!" he maintained resolutely. "Don't y' realize it's not de skin-on-skin contact dat's important here? Dat kiss wit' y', through de scarf, meant more t' me den anythin' with –" And then he caught himself right in time, before he uttered Carol's name. His heart beat sped as he appreciated what a close call that had been, and what that one slip of the tongue could have caused… But it hadn't happened. It was fine, he told himself, taking a deep breath and then swiftly amending, "It meant more t' me den anythin' with any other girl!"

He prayed that his earnestness was conveyed in his words and voice and expression, and judging from the silence that befell Rogue after he spoke, it was. She shakily exhaled and then spoke meekly (which surprised him greatly, hearing the normally strong girl sound so unsure). "Yah… Yah really mean that?"

"_Oui_, I do," he declared, sitting down once more and clasping her hand in his.

She looked away from him shyly, staring down at her feet. "Ah didn't mean it as a personal insult or anythin', just so yah know," she quietly added. "It's not that Ah think it'd just be _you_ specifically that'd get tired of workin' around my powers, Ah think it'd pretty much apply to anyone."

He knew what she meant, and reassured her that he didn't take it personally. Mere months ago he might have agreed, not able to see himself lasting long in that sort of situation, but now he was determined and sure that would not be the case for him.

"Yah keep sayin' that, an' Ah want to believe yah, Ah really do…"

"An' I want t' prove it t' y', but y're scared t' take de chance. Kind of a catch-22, henh?"

"Unfortunately…" she nodded reluctantly. "Not to mention th' other things standin' in th' way."

It was obvious that by 'things' she meant 'girls', and he scowled, wishing things weren't moving so glacially slow on that front. "Don't need t' mention dat, _chère_. I know where y' stand on it, an' I'm doin' my best t' work it all out."

Rogue sat up a bit straighter. "So yah're okay with that?" she questioned tentatively.

"Why wouldn't I be?" he queried. "I _want_ t' end t'ings wit' dem – I would even if I weren't tryin' t' win y' over."

"Oh, Ah just thought… Nah, nevermind."

"No, what? Come on, we've got such nice communication goin' on here…" he wheedled her with a slight smile.

She appeared uncomfortable again, mumbling, "Ah was just thinkin' about that whole thing, that's all, an' worryin' that maybe Ah was bein' too demandin'."

Again she surprised him – why would she suddenly be hesitant with something she had been adamant about for so long? Unless the wait was beginning to get to her much as it was to him… That was a heartening sign, Remy realized, and wondered if he should inquire further about it. Probably not – she was already uneasy as it was. "Y're not. I can understand y' not wantin' t' share dis sexy Cajun," he settled for teasing her – then as her ire was raised he squeezed her hand and sincerely added, "An' I don't want t' have t' split my attention from y', _chère_."

The girl scoffed and shook her head, but he could make out a tiny grin gracing her lips. "Damn swamp rat…"

"Back t' de endearments? Y' must be feelin' better den," he remarked, trying to keep the hopefulness out of his voice.

She raised her head to look straight at him, and smiled tentatively. "Yeah, Ah guess Ah am."

"_Bien_. I really am sorry dat de kiss made y' feel so bad, though…"

"Don't apologize. Th' kiss itself made me feel great…" Oh, that was certainly ego-boosting – Remy had to force himself to pay attention and not preen as she continued on, although his brain wanted to replay that statement on a permanent loop. "It was my thoughts that caused th' problems, but it doesn't matter. Actually, in all this confusion, Ah think a few things might've been cleared up."

"Yeah?" Did she mean her feelings? He couldn't help but grin elatedly.

"Yeah. So Ah guess Ah should really be thankin' yah, then."

"Y' could always t'ank me wit' another kiss," he waggled his eyebrows playfully.

"Don't push yo' luck," she rolled her eyes, and he pouted – but when she tacked on, "Besides, th' scarf's upstairs" he couldn't help but wonder if she might have actually let him do it.

But after it had prompted her insecurities to surface, would that really be the right thing to do at the moment? The last thing he wanted was instil more doubts in her mind, so he steered the discussion in another direction. "Well, den we'll have t' find somethin' else t' occupy our time," he heaved a theatrical sigh, settling back onto the couch cushions and pulling Rogue with him. She tensed for a split second but then quickly relaxed, an action that told Remy their rapport was settling back to normal.

"Ah guess so," she agreed melodramatically, curling her legs up underneath her and leaning against his arm.

Grabbing the remote control, she flipped through the television stations until they finally found something they could agree on. They both watched in silence for a few minutes until Remy couldn't help but ask, "_Chère_? So, are we okay, den?"

"Yeah, we're good. This talked really helped – Ah'm sorry Ah was avoidin' yah in th' first place, it was silly o' me."

"What's dis? Y' actually admit y' were doin' it, den?" he taunted her.

"Oh, shut up!" she smacked him in return.

"Fine, fine… But don't do it again, 'kay?" the thief asked, grabbing her before she could hit him again and tugging her even closer.

Her body was flush against his as he slung an arm across her shoulder, and he felt her nod. "Ah won't."

Remy smiled, and an easy silence fell between them as they turned their attention to the screen once again. It wasn't the most exciting of New Year's Eves he had ever spent in terms of partying and drinking, but he could say with certainty that it was definitely the most comfortable.

They whiled away their next few hours like that, mocking celebrities and bantering like usual. Neither of them moved from their spot – Remy was too afraid to do so, knowing that if he got up then their closeness would be lost, and would probably be irretrievable. He took heart in the fact that Rogue wasn't budging either, and hoped her line of thinking was along the same as his.

Then, a few minutes before midnight, her head slowly lolled onto his shoulder. Looking down at her, he was surprised to find she had fallen asleep.

The Cajun couldn't help but smile softly. She really was beautiful… Rather, she was _all_ the time, but there was something different about her when she let her guard down like this. He felt grateful for the chance to see it.

Tightening his hold around the girl (but not enough that it would wake her), he carefully shifted as close as he could get before his attention was caught by the final ten second countdown on the television. He had heard that the way somebody rung in the New Year was the way they would spend most of it – if that was true, with Rogue in his arms now the next year would truly be sweet.

When the clock struck midnight and confetti and streamers rained down on all the people celebrating in Times Square, Remy simply grinned and placed a light kiss on Rogue's hairline. Then he pressed the power button on the remote, plunging the room into darkness as he rested his head atop hers and drifted off to sleep, more content than he had been in a long while.

- X -

_**New Year's Day, 2006**_

He felt something stir in his arms, causing him to slowly awaken. Then he heard a high-pitched squealing, and he shot up immediately. What was going on? He suddenly remembered where (and with whom) he had fallen asleep. Had somebody come by and witnessed the scene? That probably wasn't good…

Rubbing his eyes blearily, they finally focused enough to stare around the room – but there was nobody else there. They then glanced beside him, landing on an adorably dishevelled Rogue, and his stomach sunk when he realized whom the shriek had really come from.

"Remy!" the girl screeched, launching herself into the Cajun's arms. "I'm back!"

He had to exert extreme effort to stifle his groan. "Hi, Carol." Damn, why hadn't it sunk in that yesterday had been the last day of the month? How ironic that although he'd been well aware it was the end of the year, that more important point hadn't been grasped. He had been much too preoccupied by actually being with Rogue to even give her leaving a second thought.

"It's so good to see you!" Carol chattered away giddily, batting her eyelashes at him and staring in adoration. "Especially first thing like this. You just couldn't wait to have me back again, huh? That's so cute!"

"Yeah, somethin' like dat," he sighed, letting his head fall and hit the armrest in resignation. What a way to kick off the new year…

* * *

That's right, a brand new year for Remy – will it be as dramatic and eventful as the last? I think that's pretty much a given. ;)

**Next chapter** – Remy gets some news from the Guild…

I'm going to keep it short, sweet, and desperate this time: _please review_!

Toodles,

– ish –


	24. News

**Disclaimer:** Consider this chapter disclaimed!

**A/N:** Yes, once again I took quite a while to update… My bad. This chapter has actually been done for a few days, but sat around since I just couldn't motivate myself to edit it. Ugh, proofreading! Now I finally just forced myself to sit down and go through it, so here's hoping I didn't miss anything! Enjoy. ;)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 24 – News**

_**January 2006**_

Glancing about, Remy was relieved to see the clock on the DVD player read five a.m. Perfect – that meant it was doubtful anybody would have wandered by the room to catch him and Carol in a potentially compromising position. That was one worry to strike from his mind… Yet a larger one remained: how to pry the girl from his arms?

"Uh, Carol, I'm glad t' see y', but do y' t'ink y' could let me breathe a bit?" he gasped out as she squeezed him tightly.

"Oh – oops!" she exclaimed sheepishly, and then quickly released him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that… Sometimes I just don't know my own strength!"

"Dat's fine," he muttered, gently massaging his ribs. If that was how much it hurt when she was affectionate then he _really_ didn't want to see her when she got angry… He blanched at the thought.

She didn't notice his wincing, instead crossing her legs coyly and saying, "So! What did I miss last month? Besides you, of course."

She was probably fishing for sentiments of him pining for her, Remy guessed. Eager to deny her, he shrugged and said, "Nothin' much. De craziness o' de Christmas season, mostly…" And then he realized it was the perfect opportunity to enact the bad boyfriend plan and get her to finally dump him. Putting on an air of indifference, he then carelessly mentioned, "Oh, sorry _belle_ – I forgot t' get y' a present."

The thief expected some petulant pouting, or even a tantrum, but Carol simply sighed. "I didn't get anybody anything either. Although I _was_ kinda hoping to see how romantic you could be…" Then she grinned and sidled over to him. "But that's okay, I've already seen your sweet and sensitive side…"

She leaned in to kiss him, and Remy had to suppress a groan. Honestly, what would it take? Quickly bringing up a finger and placing it to her lips, he gently insisted, "Not here."

"Aw, come on – I haven't kissed you in a month, I'm going through Remy-withdrawal!" she complained, widening her baby-blues and looking up at him pleadingly.

"Anybody could walk by," he pointed out in a lowered voice, inclining his head towards the open door. "We have t' be careful, remember?"

"Oh, you're no fun," she sulked, tossing herself back onto the couch and crossing her arms.

"Dere'll be time f'r dat later," he said, while trying to come up with ways to ensure the exact opposite.

"Hey, I almost forgot!" she perked up suddenly, her displeasure already ancient history. "Did you learn anything from your brother about the whole wedding thing yet? Any news on that? Oh, please tell me you heard _something_!"

Wonderful, it was back to her constant annoying enquiries on the topic. Biting his tongue to prevent a more scathing reply, Remy mildly commented, "Sorry, no word back yet."

He watched her unhappy face appear again, and for once he could relate. It had been a while since contacting Henri, and he hadn't expected his brother to take so long. On the one hand, it was good news – it meant he had a genuine reason to keep putting things off with Carol. On the other hand, with the Guild's skills and resources, it shouldn't have been taking this much time – perhaps there was nothing to find? That sunk his spirits more than he could say.

He put forward, "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll hear somet'in' soon," more to reassure himself than the girl. Even if Henri didn't bear good tidings, Remy still wanted to know where things stood – as of now he was in a sort of limbo, and the uncertainty accompanying that was stressful.

"All right, if you say so," Carol muttered, and for once didn't dwell on the subject, probably wanting to ignore her disappointment. "So, what else happened while I was gone?"

"Didn't Rogue fill y' in?" he wondered. Wasn't that the way they typically did things? Unless something had gone wrong! What if… No, he was being paranoid now. He forced himself to take a deep breath and act casual.

"Yeah, but I wasn't really paying attention," she admitted as she rolled her eyes. "I'm usually in a hurry to get out of there – it's so boring, with nobody to talk to, you know? Hey, it's too bad you couldn't be in there to keep me company…"

Gambit shuddered at the thought of condemning a part of his poor psyche to being stuck with that girl in a place of no escape. Even though logically he knew _he _wouldn't be going anywhere, it would only be a copy of himself entering Rogue's mind, it still seemed to be a type of torture he wouldn't wish upon his worst enemy. Well, maybe not... He spared a moment to think that Carol's obsessive personality would compliment Julien's insanity rather well, but throwing those two together would probably be a recipe for disaster.

Subtly shaking his head free of such contemplations, he put on a grin and tried to respond in a way that hid his utter horror at her suggestion. "But if I was in dere wit' y' den y'd never want to leave!" he joked – and was unexpectedly inspired.

Deeply immersed in his idea, he barely noticed Carol reach over to pinch his cheeks and coo, "Remy, I _never_ want to leave you!" Suddenly she frowned as she became aware of the cloth covering her hands.

"Ugh," she grumbled, shedding the gloves. "My hands get way too sweaty in these things." Then looking down at herself, she shrieked. "Oh my God, what's this?"

The high-pitched scream drew Remy's attention, and he stared at her in bewilderment. "What's de matter?"

"I can't believe I'm wearing this!" she cried, jumping to her feet and tugging at the sporty sweats Rogue slept in. "I wouldn't be caught dead in these! No wonder she can't bag a guy…"

"I don't see anyt'in' wrong wit' dem," Remy uttered, indignant on the Southern girl's behalf. As enticing as Carol's revealing ensembles were, he had been more intrigued than he could have imagined by the way the material covered Rogue's curves while hinting at what was concealed beneath.

"No offence, hon, but you're a guy – and guys just don't understand women's fashion!" she reminded him, before turning on her heel and strutting from the room. "I have to go change – I'll see you later!"

Shaking his head in disbelief, the Cajun then quickly returned to pondering the possibilities he had been lost in before she had interrupted. It had merely been one of her usual cloyingly sweet comments, but now he was fixated on it. It was crazy, but what if he was absorbed willingly and his psyche integrated into her mind? Then he could keep Carol company when she was away for her month – and maybe convince her it would be best to _stay_ away? After all, there they would be without interruptions, or the need to hide… And then out in the real world, his true self could be with Rogue, without any complications from the other girl.

Oh, that would too good to be true… But would she go for it? Would it even work? He had to admit it seemed like a serious step to take, and a part of him was already balking at the suggestion, but perhaps it would be worth it. After all, it wouldn't technically be _him_ stuck with her forever, would it? _He_ would wake up in his real body as usual, and there would merely be a duplicate of him up in Rogue's head… _Dieu_, the scenario was mind-boggling. He would have to give it much more thought and work out the nitty-gritty details, but the possibilities had Remy much more excited and optimistic than he could remember being for quite some time. Perhaps he wouldn't need to dump Carol after all…

- X -

_**Later that day…**_

He knocked on the door to Kitty's room, anxiously shifting back and forth on his feet while waiting for her to open it. He was still avoiding Carol, who was prowling about the mansion like a lioness on the hunt, and the thief prayed he'd be welcomed inside before she came stalking down the hall.

"Remy?" he heard a feminine voice speak, and thankfully it was Shadowcat, her head poking out and phasing through the door. He still hadn't gotten used to bizarre sights like that despite his many months at the Institute, but he blinked and tried to shake it off.

"Bonjour, _petite_," he smiled tersely, still nervously looking about. "Happy new year an' all dat… Mind if I come in?"

Thankfully she didn't pose any further questions, instead reaching out a hand and using her powers to bring him through the solid oak. Inside the room he was able to breathe a bit easier, smiling at her more genuinely and querying, "So, how was y'r date last night? Can see y' slept in y'r own bed, so it couldn't have ended _too_ well…"

"Oh, don't be crass!" she protested, sticking her tongue out at him. "It was great, I'll have you know. Piotr took me out for dinner, and then to a beautiful spot on the lake where we could see the fireworks… Unlike _some_ people who shall remain nameless, he's a gentleman!"

"I never claimed t' be," Remy chuckled, leaning against the edge of her cluttered desk.

Kitty noticed him settling down and did the same, sitting on the corner of her bed before questioning, "What's up? You look like you've got something to say."

"Somethin' t' ask, actually."

"What?" she frowned worriedly, instantly predicting the topic of conversation. "Still need more help with Carol?"

"Don't I always?" he smirked, shaking his head wryly. "I'm still tryin' t' be a crappy boyfriend an' all… But I got an idea, and wanted t' ask y' about it."

"Sure, what?" The girl was clearly intrigued.

"Earlier, I said somet'in' offhand – about how if I was in Rogue's mind t' keep Carol company, den she'd never want t' leave… Was wonderin' if dat would be possible."

It took a few moments to work out what he meant, and then Kitty's jaw dropped. "You mean… As in, you getting absorbed and staying with Carol in the mindscape? What are you _thinking_?"

"Hey, it could work, couldn't it?" he replied defensively, not enjoying Shadowcat gaping at him like he was insane. "T'ink about it! Carol'd be perfectly happy stuck wit' me, wit' nobody else drawin' my attention away from her… An' den de real me is out here wit' Rogue, an' Carol wouldn't bother us." The more he mulled it over, the better it sounded – it would be a win-win situation!

"I don't know... A lot could go wrong with that!"

"I t'ought Rogue was supposed t' be de pessimistic one," he jibed.

"I guess my line should be that I'm only being realistic?" she shot back cheekily, before becoming more serious. "But I am. I mean, let's think this through! First of all, you'd have to convince Carol – do you think she'd honestly be willing to give up having a body to run around in, no matter how much she's into you? It'd be her feelings for you versus her hatred for Rogue, and I'm not sure which is stronger… And if by some chance she _is_ that obsessed with you, you'd have to make Rogue agree to it too!"

"But it could be a good solution – y' don't t'ink she'd go along with it?" he objected.

"You know she _hates_ absorbing people – she wouldn't want to risk doing to you what she did to Carol!" Kitty exclaimed, and then proceeded to tick off even more reasons on her fingers. "And there are still so many things we don't know about the process – who knows how much of you she'd have to absorb to make the psyche realistic enough? Not to mention that by absorbing you, what if Carol gets a dose of your memories and finds out about the secrets you've been keeping from her? Do you think she'd still be eager to stick by you after that?"

With every word, Remy's frown grew larger and larger. He hadn't thought about any of those issues – his hopefulness had gotten in the way of all that. It had seemed like a phenomenal solution to most of his problems… The feeling of disappointment coursing through him was hard to take.

"_Merde_," he cursed violently, pushing off the desk and stomping across the floor. "What's it goin' t' take!"

"Sorry, Remy," Kitty apologized meekly, shrinking away from him a bit. "I didn't mean to be so negative."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down despite his intense need to hit something. He didn't want to scare the girl, she hadn't done anything wrong. As much as it frustrated him, it was best to find out his scheme was flawed now than later. "It's okay," he reassured her, shooting a pathetically unconvincing smile in her direction. "I wanted y'r t'oughts on de plan, an' I got dem. Better now den when it'd be too late."

"I guess that's a good way to look at it," she mused, getting up and walking beside him to place a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Try not to worry about it too much, okay? You've still got options, and I'll help you any way I can."

"T'anks _petite_, I appreciate dat," he told her sincerely, although he wondered how many choices he truly had. There didn't appear to be many paths left open… But then he recalled a particularly intriguing one. "Hey… Do y' t'ink y' can hang around me more often?"

"Why?"

"Carol still t'inks y've got a crush on me," he smirked.

"Oh," Kitty comprehended, and then giggled. "Yeah, I think I can manage that. Anything to piss her off – as long as she doesn't try to throw me out a window or something..."

"Y' could just phase t'rough her, remember?" he reminded her. "Dere's not much she could do t' hurt y'."

"Hey, you're right! Well, in that case…" The girl laughed deviously, and Remy was almost frightened by the maniacal glint in her eyes. "Let's put Operation Bad Boyfriend into action!"

- X -

_**A few days after that…**_

The thief strode down the corridors, his tan trench coat billowing out slightly behind him as he moved at a jaunty pace. With his hands in his jean pockets and whistling a merry tune, he was the picture of contentment – and he felt that way, too. The last few days had been going extremely well. Almost _too_ well, really, but he wasn't about to think like that and potentially jinx things.

The holidays were over, and while he hadn't expected that would be cause for cheer, it turned out to have positive consequences. With the younger students back to their rigorous training and school schedules, there were plenty of opportunities for Remy to help out with them and keep busy. While teaching basic French and rudimentary fighting techniques weren't the most thrilling of activities, the fact remained that every second of his time the youngsters consumed meant one less second Carol could monopolize.

There were still the occasional worries, but he felt he had them covered. He and Kitty had put their heads together, working out a schedule to keep him occupied – he suddenly found himself to be quite the social butterfly, from chaperoning the girls to the movies to volunteering to teach Sam some Cajun cooking. When specific things weren't penciled in then Kitty had assured him he could come to her for a spur of the moment excuse, and if that failed, a Danger Room run was always a possibility.

Yes, he felt more confident about things now that Shadowcat had shown him the value of being prepared for numerous scenarios. Despite used to flying by the seat of his pants and being more spontaneous, Remy had to admit that planning things was working out much better. So as he moved down the hallway, he didn't even flinch as a high-pitched voice came from behind him.

"Remy! Remy, wait up!" Carol called, flying around the corner and over to him. "I've been looking for you, where've you been?"

"Oh, here an' dere," he replied. He had the sneaking suspicion that if she could, the girl would stick a collar with a bell on him so she'd know where he was at every waking moment…

"Oh," she blinked, seeming a bit surprised by his lackadaisical answer, but she quickly shook it off and whined, "I'm bored! Let's go out and do something!" She had a poofy pink coat on over a red sweater and tight blue jeans, and the pompoms on her furry boots were swinging wildly. Clearly she was ready and eager to head out, and Remy certainly didn't mind if she did – but he wasn't about to go with her!

"Sorry _belle_, I promised I'd help Kitty in a trainin' session wit' de kids," he told her calmly, but not sounding especially apologetic. Yes, preparedness certainly had its advantages – now his excuses required absolutely no cognitive effort, they simply slipped readily off his tongue.

She huffed, stomping her foot on the ground in an action reminiscent of a toddler. Remy wondered if she would throw herself onto the floor in a full-blown tantrum, as he had seen a five-year-old do in a grocery store once after his mother refused to buy him any sweets. He hoped not – a fit of temper coming from a girl with super strength had the potential to be much worse than coming from a child, especially when the subject at hand was much more important than candy.

Luckily, she did no such thing. Instead she whined, "Blow her off! You've hardly been spending any time with me. Remember, your _girlfriend_?"

He'd been getting better at hiding the spine-shuddering reaction that word always prompted when it came out of her mouth, but sometimes it was hard to repress completely. However, once again her less-than-stellar powers of observation failed to pick it up and he only had one explanation to give. "O' course I remember – how could I forget?" She wouldn't _let_ him forget… Gambit tempered his eye-roll and continued, "But y' know dat team priorities come first, henh?"

The girl tossed her hair back snottily and scoffed. "You're starting to sound like Scott!"

That comment was insulting, and Remy had to grimace. "Oh _belle_, y' can't mean dat!"

"You know, what? I think I do! I mean, all you've been doing lately is team stuff!"

"Well, I _am_ on de team – I have t' do my part," he pointed out, trying to be patient. "I'm not goin' t' take advantage o' de _Professeur_'s hospitality." Following that comment, he realized he probably shouldn't have said it – what if Carol took too much offence? After all, they accurately described what she was doing, lounging about the mansion and not doing her share… But as usual, she didn't pick up on any further meaning.

"Yeah, well, don't I deserve some attention too?" she cried in frustration.

He wanted to retort in the negative, and add that she had better get used to not having any at all, but stopped himself. Instead, he plastered on an insincere smile and said, "Anot'er time, 'kay? I'm goin' t' be late meetin' Kitty."

The Cajun could tell his nonchalance and lack of sycophancy shocked her. Her cerulean eyes widened for an instant, and then narrowed again. "You've been spending a lot of time with her lately..." she noted accusingly.

He shrugged indifferently. "She asked f'r my help, dat's all. We make a good team in de Danger Room."

"Have you talked to her yet about that little crush of hers?"

Remy had to hide a mocking smile. He was amazed at how her mind worked sometimes – how on earth had she come up with such an insane idea? Had she not noticed the way Kitty and Piotr were utterly smitten with each other? Well, when people got a notion in their heads they would usually find supporting evidence for it everywhere, and he wasn't about to argue against her theory – after all, it was currently working to his advantage.

"No, haven't discussed it yet," was all he replied.

"Don't you think maybe you should?" she urged incredulously.

He shook his head doubtfully. "I t'ink y're wrong about her crush, actually. We're just friends, dat's all."

Carol stared at him like _he _was the naïve one (which was rather amusing, considering the circumstances). "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," he stated, and then looked at his watch. "_Belle_, I really have t' go. See y' later, henh?" And without waiting for her response, he took off down the hall.

At the end of the corridor he looked back, watching her stalk off in the opposite direction, clearly put out. A smirk played across his lips, showing off his sense of satisfaction. Operation Bad Boyfriend was fully underway – but would it continue on to the desired conclusion? It was undoubtedly irking the girl, but would it be enough to make her give up on him altogether? He could only hope.

- X -

_**Three weeks later…**_

He wished Kitty was single. Not that he wasn't happy for her and Piotr, or that he wanted Kitty for himself! Of course not. The girl was sweet, but not exactly his type – and he already had enough trouble with the three women in his life. Plus, he considered the Russian a friend. A friend that would pummel him into smithereens if he so much as looked at Kitty the wrong way… And therein lay the problem.

Apparently he had been spending so much time with Shadowcat so as not to spend time with Carol that Piotr had gotten suspicious. She had been quick to reassure him and thankfully there had been no harm done, but it also meant that Kitty could no longer be his alibi whenever the going got rough. Hence Remy's current dilemma, of trying to dodge his unwanted girlfriend yet again.

He took deep, calming breaths in an effort to reassure himself. After all, he was the Prince of Thieves! There was no building he couldn't break into, no security system he couldn't bypass, no vault or safe that he couldn't crack… Sneaking down the hallway of a mansion full of mutants was child's play compared to some of the things he'd done! He told himself that, and yet his brain didn't completely buy it. He couldn't help but feel like he was trapped in a horror movie, with screeching violin music playing in the background that reached a crescendo right as he turned the corner and ran straight into…!

Nobody. There was nobody there, and Remy had to chastise himself for getting so worked up. Shaking his head, he kept on walking, looking for a room to duck into and while away the afternoon. He came across a study on the third floor that people rarely used and deemed it perfect. He could sequester himself inside and perhaps read a book, or play Solitaire until the numbers on the cards all blurred together.

His hand on the doorknob, he was slowly turning it when a shrill noise came out of nowhere, shocking him so much that he actually jumped. It was only his cell phone ringing, there was no need to be scared… When he realized that he in fact had been, he cursed himself, wondering what had happened to put a skittish boy in place of the once unflappable thief – but the answer to that was obvious. Carol had happened, and remembering whom he was avoiding, he quickly patted down his trench coat to stop the ring tone before it gave away his position. Where was it? The damn coat had too many pockets…

Finally he found it and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"There you are!"

"Ahh!" Remy shouted, whirling around to come face to face with Carol. "_Merde_, y' scared me!"

"Oh, good t' know," Henri's voice spoke into his ear. "We go a few weeks wit'out talkin' an' suddenly my voice terrifies y'? I'm feelin' de love, _mon_ _frère_."

"Not y'," he scowled, before plastering on a smile to throw in the girl's direction. "I meant Carol."

"You meant me what?" she asked curiously. "Who are you talking to? Can it wait? I _finally_ tracked you down, and I was hoping we could go see a movie or something! I can't remember the last time we were out on an actual date…"

"Is she still around?" his brother groaned, and Gambit thought he heard the sound of a palm slapping his forehead in frustration. "Can't believe y' haven't gotten rid o' her yet."

"Me either," he lamented, before turning to Carol and telling her, "Dis is important – we'll go out another time, henh?" He had learned his lesson – there was no way he was going to carry on two simultaneous conversations between the two of them again, and there was absolutely no doubt in his mind as to whom he would prefer be talking to right now. Would he be able to get the girl to leave him alone for a while?

It would probably take some sweet talk. She frowned at his brush off, her voice raised in annoyance as she said, "Another time? That's all you ever say anymore! Who's on the phone? Are they really more important than _me_?"

"Oh Remy, please don't tell me you'll shun me f'r _dat_!" Henri grovelled in a falsetto voice on the other end of the line. "I couldn't take it… I t'ought y' _loved_ me!"

Steadfastly ignoring the thief for the moment, Remy turned to Carol and gave her an explanation he knew she would accept. "It's my brother – I t'ink he has some news, so I should prob'ly take de call, henh?"

The effect of those words was instantaneous. Her aggravated demeanour immediately disappeared, and instead her eyes widened with joy. "Really? Oh, it's about time! Well, what is it, what's the deal with the engagement?"

Remy was just as eager (perhaps even more so) as she was to know, but he wasn't about to have the conversation with her anywhere within earshot. "Don't know yet – why don't y' give me a chance t' find out an' I'll tell y' later?"

She pouted, clutching at his arm for emphasis. "But _Remy_, I've been waiting for this forever!"

"Den a few more minutes won't really make a difference, right?" he rejoined hopefully. He saw her eyes narrow and knew she was about to protest once more, so he quickly fabricated, "Besides, a lot of it is Guild business – we can't let outsiders hear about it. Y' understand, right?"

"What, so if you tell me you'll have to kill me?" she chortled in disbelief.

Oh, that was tempting… In fact, the notion of introducing Carol to Belle had crossed his mind – wouldn't it be wonderful if they would get rid of each other for him? Of course, there was the issue of Carol being invulnerable, not to mention residing in Rogue's body, so that scenario was a bit too faulty. But he could still dream…

When he didn't reply to her laughter, she appeared to take him more seriously. "Oh. Fine, whatever," she sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes to add even more effect. "Find me when you're done then." And with that haughty declaration, she flounced off down the hallway. No doubt she would be pacing in her bedroom, not being the most patient of people.

"She gone yet?" Henri's voice came over the phone again, and Remy replied in the affirmative. "Finally!"

Turning around and entering the study like he had planned to before the interruption, he cased the room. Bookshelves lined the two side walls and a large window overlooked the snow-covered yard, while three leather chairs sat around an oak table. Cozy and quiet, but most importantly, devoid of life. Satisfied that he wouldn't be overheard, he shut the door behind him and started speaking candidly. "So, what do y' know?"

"Y're all business, aren't y'?" his brother teased him playfully, knowing full well Remy was desperate for news and that prolonging its release was slowly driving him insane. "Not even a 'How are y', Henri, how's it goin'?' – do y' even care? 'Cause I've got t' tell y', I feel kind o' hurt now – used, even!"

The younger Cajun groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Now's not de time t' be a comedian, _frère_. Y' know I've been waitin' ages f'r dis – took y' long enough, by de way."

"What's dat? Y' want somet'in' from me an' y' insult me before y' get it? Not very smart," he clucked mischievously.

He was making jokes and sounded rather amused – did that mean he had good information to impart? It hinted at something positive to Remy, so he tried to temper his anxiousness for a few more minutes and join in. "Y're right – would flattery be more t' y'r likin'?" Then in a high-pitched voice he pretended to swoon, "Oh Henri, _do_ tell how y' used y'r brilliance, daring an' all-around sexiness t' find out what Remy needed t' know! I can hardly wait t' see how y' managed t' solve his problem!"

His brother chuckled heartily and then thankfully remarked, "All right, I get it, y're dyin' t' find out. I _am_ sorry it took so long – couldn't exactly walk up t' Belle an' ask her if she's seein' someone, now could I? Took some shrewdness."

"I'm surprised," Remy said honestly, pulling out a chair and dropping himself down in it. "She definitely ain't de most subtle person around, I would've expected her t' be obvious about it."

"Normally I'd agree wit' y' on dat, but dat wasn't de case lately," Henri informed him, his tone all business now. "Dat made me mighty suspicious, an' had me assumin' dat de rumours were true."

"So were dey?" the mutant enquired edgily, tapping his feet on the floor, unable to sit still. "Y' still haven't mentioned if y've even got good news or not!"

"Hey, dis is quite de tale – I can't reveal de endin' right away! I've got t' do de dramatic narration first – builds suspense, an' all dat."

"Not t' mention drives me crazy," Remy muttered.

"Dat too," Henri laughed, but then continued. "So, anyway – like I was sayin', it took a while. At first I tailed Belle myself, but I gave up after a week o' not findin' anythin' out except her favourite boutiques."

"A week?" he repeated dubiously. "Dat's it? Nice t' know y' put so much effort in on my behalf!"

"Hey, y' do _remember_ Belle, don't y'?" the man retorted pointedly. "Not exactly de most patient person around, henh?" That was an understatement. "She couldn't go so much as a day wit'out seein' y' – if she got someone else I figured she'd be de same way. Dat told me if she _did_ have somebody on de side, dey were meetin' where I couldn't see dem."

Remy's brain made the connections. "As in, on de Assassin's property?" His hopes were slightly dashed at that thought. The Boudreaux mansion was heavily guarded, and that wasn't even counting all the Assassins living on the land that were sure to provide back up should the security system fail. It was extremely difficult to sneak in there, even for a professional of Remy's calibre – sure, he'd done it before, but it hadn't been easy. So for Henri to do it, along with managing to stay long enough to spy on Belle or to plant some sort of recording device? He had faith in his brother, he really did, but his expectations for a beneficial report faltered.

"Dat's what I was t'inkin'," Henri confirmed. "Maybe wit' her tennis instructor, or de gardener or somet'in'."

Despite the grim direction things seemed to be heading in, Remy couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. "Y've been watchin' too much _Desperate Housewives_, _mon_ _frère_."

"Hey, Mercy makes me!" he griped, but then quickly returned to the topic at hand. "Anyway, y' can appreciate de challenge dat posed."

"So what'd y' do?"

"Ahh, here's where my sheer genius comes in," the older thief boasted. "I knew I couldn't get in dere on my own, so I recruited somebody dat could."

His mind automatically began running over the possibilities, comparing plans and evaluating strategies. "So what, did y' hire somebody t' play an electrician or somethin' an' send dem in t' bug de place?" It wasn't exactly the Guild's style (they preferred to take care of their own business instead of subcontracting), but there wouldn't have been many options available in that type of situation.

"Even better!" Henri exclaimed, and Remy could all but see him preening. "Didn't have t' hire anybody at all."

The mutant frowned, his forehead creasing slightly as he tried to determine what was being hinted at. "So what, y' got someone in de Guild t' do it? But how'd dey manage to not be recognized?"

"Y're close, but t'inking o' de wrong Guild."

"Are… Are y' sayin' it was an inside job? One o' de Assassins helped y' out?" he uttered incredulously, certainly not expecting that bizarre guess to be confirmed.

"Dere y' go, y' got it!" Henri applauded.

"Dat's impossible," he gaped, shaking his head in disbelief. "How on earth would y' ever manage dat?"

"Well, I didn't say dey helped me _knowingly_," the other LeBeau said slyly. "It took some cunning on my part, but I managed t' plant de notion in Julien's head."

When he heard that name spoken Remy nearly fell out of his chair in shock. "Julien? What de hell? Please tell me we ain't talkin' about de same Julien!" There was absolutely no way… Clearly, his brother had gone off the deep end. That or he was toying with him, and that wasn't appreciated!

"Julien Boudreaux – tall, Cajun, annoyin' as hell, tried t' kill y'? Yeah, I t'ink it's de same guy," he rejoined. "Will y' calm down an' let me explain?"

"Oh, please do! I mean, what could y' be t'inkin'? Julien _hates_ me, he would never help me in any way, shape or form! If y' let him know about me not wantin' de weddin', he'd probably let it go on just t' spite me, no matter how much he wouldn't want me marryin' Belle!"

He heard Henri heave a giant sigh over the phone, and then he exasperatedly requested, "I know dat! Will y' please let me talk?"

"_Desolé_."

"_Bien_. Now, o' course I didn't let him know dat – like I said earlier, I was _cunning_! First I learned his schedule, an' den arranged a few _accidental_ run-ins wit' him so we could chat."

Remy scowled at that. For some reason, Julien didn't despise the other LeBeaus as much as he did Remy – he even managed to exchange a few civil words with other members of his family. Whether his loathing stemmed from the fact he was a mutant or because he had been involved with his sister, he wasn't sure – either was equally likely, really… But that hardly mattered, and he returned his attention to his brother's clarification.

"Now I'll spare y' all de boring details, but I managed t' drop enough hints so he came up wit' de idea t' get de dirt on Belle himself."

"Oh, dis I have t' hear!" he cried, tilting back on his seat and propping his legs up on the nearby table, relaxing his posture as the story began to get much more upbeat. "Regale me, please!"

"Well, it started out wit' me casually mentionin' dat she hadn't been over f'r news of y' as much. I thought it'd get him t'inkin' she was maybe movin' on an' spendin' her time differently, but de next few meetin's it didn't seem like he put two an' two together... So finally I alluded t' de rumours goin' 'round about her, an' how I hoped it wouldn't delay de peace treaty an' weddin'."

"What?" Remy shouted, pitching forward quickly and dropping his feet back onto the floor with a thud. "Y' call dat subtle?"

"Hey, it was when I said it!" Henri insisted indignantly. "I can't remember de exact wordin' now, but I promise y' it wasn't dat blatantly obvious. Besides, it worked! I had t' take de _gambit_, like _somebody_ always does."

"_Touché_," he replied, rolling his eyes skyward. "But what was de point o' all dis? I can't really see Julien goin' t' all dat trouble an' facin' de wrath o' both Guilds, not t' mention his sister, just t' see me not marry Belle."

"Well, y're partially right – but I t'ink y' underestimate his hatred f'r y'," the man chuckled wryly. "He'd definitely try t' stop de weddin' he t'inks y' wanted, but he wouldn't want t' be blamed f'r it fallin' apart – an' he was clever enough t' do both."

Remy's stomach clenched in nervous apprehension, and he leaned forward in his seat as if it would help him better hear what was about to be said. "_And_?"

"Don't know de exact details, obviously, but he managed t' get some incriminatin' evidence on Belle." Here he paused for dramatic effect, and Remy almost wanted to slap him on the back of the head and tell him to _hurry up_! Thankfully, the next second he did. "Looks like she was cheatin' on y' wit' de pool boy."

He blinked. "De pool boy? Dat's… dat's so clichéd!"

Henri snorted. "Y're right… Better she had done it wit' some rich, handsome playboy dat put y' t' shame in every way – would dat make y' feel better?"

"Dat's not what I meant –"

"Get over y'rself, Remy!" the man hollered. "Yes, she was obsessed wit' y', but after y've been gone f'r months dat was bound t' fade – an' don't forget dat y' did de same t' her, henh?"

"_Oui_, _oui_, I know," Remy insisted, not having meant it as it had obviously sounded. Yes, it was a bit odd to reconcile the formerly infatuated Belladonna with somebody who was now cheating on him, but he wasn't about to be hypocritical about it. Besides, it was wonderful news to him! Now, would it keep getting better? "What else?"

Henri followed his prodding and answered, "A videotape was _anonymously_ dropped off at our door a few days ago, showin' dem gettin' all hot an' steamy, on multiple occasions. I've got t' say, I t'ink Julien's a bit of a voyeur – dere was much more proof dere den we needed, really."

"Dat doesn't exactly surprise me," he grimaced, not wanting to think about the man's odd fetishes.

"Anyway, a joint council meetin' was called dis mornin' an' de tape was shown – _Dieu_, y' should've seen de looks on de Assassins' faces!" the thief crowed, chortling heartily.

Remy joined in, easily imagining their shocked expressions. "Wish I could've been dere!"

"I doubt y'd be able t' keep de smirk off y'r face."

"Y're pro'ly right…" he mused, but then shook his head, focusing on the more important matter. "_But_? What happened after dat?"

"Oh, nothin' much…" Henri trailed off, nonchalantly adding, "Dey just annulled de deal."

"Dat's it? Dey only…" And then the words sunk in and he stuttered, "Dey – dey what? De engagement's off?"

"Dat's right, y' lucky bastard!"

"Yes!" Remy hooted, leaping from the chair in excitement and pumping his fist in the air. Freedom – sweet, glorious freedom! It was almost too good to be true…

"It took some playin' up on _Père_'s part, actin' all enraged an' betrayed an' such, but it worked out in de end," Henri continued, unaware of his brother's hyper celebrations around the study, still jumping up and down in elation. "He told dem de treaty couldn't go through when one o' de parties was untrustworthy before de marriage even began. De council squabbled f'r a while, but dey couldn't really argue against dat, an' it was cancelled."

"I can't tell y' how good dat is t' hear," the young man exhaled, collapsing into another chair in absolute relief. Aside from Rogue's confessions that she reciprocated his feelings, it was the best news he had heard in a long while. He couldn't wipe the gigantic grin off his face, but then he had to wonder… "Hey, uh, do I want t' know how Belle's takin' dis?"

He heard a sharp intake of breath in his ear, and Henri hesitated for a few seconds. "Er, well… T' say she's furious is puttin' it lightly. I imagine it's mostly embarrassment about gettin' caught, an' bein' deemed de reason f'r de treaty fallin' apart."

Remy quirked a brow at hearing about her anger. He hadn't imagined she would be particularly enraged about the voided nuptials, seeing as she had played a role in bringing that about, but having all the blame for ruining years of peace talks placed squarely on her head would no doubt make her blood boil. The million dollar question was, how exactly would she channel all that fury?

"_Père_ thought dat maybe dis meant y'd be comin' home soon, but den suggested y' put dat off f'r a while – Belle's on de warpath, an' nobody really knows what she'd do if she ran int' y'," Henri carried on, answering Remy's unasked question. Ah, so that fury would be directed at him? It figured. "But I told him y' wouldn't have come back anyway, seein' as y've got y'r girl t' keep y' up north."

And his partially-formed worry over Belle's actions was pushed from his mind as he winced, wishing his brother hadn't said such a thing. "What? Y' told him?"

"_Oui_," came the unrepentant reply, and Remy could practically _hear_ the smirk on his face. "Y' couldn't expect me t' keep a mind-blowin' story like dat a secret, could y'? Besides, Mattie an' Mercy have been gossipin' about it non-stop, so he was bound t' hear it eventually."

He flopped his head back and groaned – having his burgeoning love life be the hot topic of conversation around his home wasn't ideal. "Great," he muttered sarcastically. "I appreciate dat."

"Thought y' would," the other thief chuckled and then forewarned, "Expect a call from him in de next few days, I bet he'll be wantin' t' tease y' about dat himself."

"Somet'in' t' look forward to den," Gambit grinned genially, ceasing his complaints. A good old-fashioned ribbing from his father was something he was well accustomed to, and after the trials he had been through recently and the excellent information he had received, he felt sitting through it would be a walk in the park. "_Frère, merci beaucoup_ – I definitely owe y' one. Got any break-ups y' want me t' arrange f'r y' in return?"

"Definitely not – don't let Mercy hear y' say dat!" Henri mock-gasped in horror, but then snorted. "An' please, why would I come t' _you_ f'r dat? Y' still haven't gotten rid o' Carol yet!"

"Oh, don't rub it in," Remy grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Don't suppose y've got any bright ideas?"

"Sorry," he replied in the negative. "What, y' want me t' do all y'r work?"

"Would y'?" the mutant joked, before sighing and amending, "Nah, y've done more den enough. Can't thank y' enough f'r all dis."

"Not a problem, _petit frère_," the older man stated warmly. "Glad I could help, an' I'm glad y' got at least one girl off y'r back. Lemme know how t'ings go wit' de other one, henh?"

"If anythin' ever _does _happen," he muttered dishearteningly under his breath, but then raised his voice and said, "Will do. Talk t' y' soon, _frère_."

Flipping his cell phone shut, Remy tossed it into one of his coat's many pockets and reclined in the chair, crossing his arms behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. His heart was still beating fast from the rush of receiving the good news, but its pace slowed as his mind began whispering annoyingly bleak reminders. Yes, the engagement was off, but that had hardly been the most critical problem – getting Carol off his back was much more crucial.

There was no way the girl could be apprised of the new development – not when it was the Cajun's main excuse for keeping her out of his bed. He had no qualms about continuing to lie to her, but what about beyond that? The same old problem haunted him, and he still had the same old answers (or lack thereof) for dealing with it.

Shaking his head in surrender, he withdrew a pack of cards from another pocket (unlike the phone, he had no trouble locating his decks) and dealt himself a game of Solitaire. He might as well use the time he was blessedly all by his lonesome to clear his head, musing on his options before Carol undoubtedly came looking for him.

It was thirteen games later before she barged in without knocking, rushing over to stand beside him and peer down expectantly. "Well? What's the scoop?" she queried excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Sorry, _belle_," he put on an apologetic and disappointed air, tossing his cards down on the table in resignation. "Henri couldn't find anythin' out yet – he'll keep tryin' though." He purposely left a glimmer of hope open for her, just so he could continue to use that pretext – after all, it was all he had left.

"He didn't find anything?" she repeated dumbly, as if the possibility of events not coming out in her favour had never crossed her mind. Then she scowled nastily, throwing herself into a chair. "No fair! It's just not fair, nothing ever goes my way!"

Remy didn't bother trying to comfort her, sticking to his intentions of being a bad boyfriend. Instead he smirked to himself, thinking that some things really _were_ fair – and it was about time something occurred to his advantage, and to Carol's detriment.

* * *

One clingy girl down, one to go!

**Next chapter** – Remy has a number of unpleasant confrontations…

Throughout this chapter I stuck in numerous subliminal messages for you to review, so if you feel an unnatural urge to press that little button down there and leave a few words, don't be alarmed and don't fight it! Just go with it, it's for the best. ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	25. Interruptions

**Disclaimer:** The Marvel universe isn't mine… I just play with it when I have free time.

**A/N:** Well, you never think it'll happen to you… But it did. I'm so sorry for taking a long time to update – this _would_ have been posted a week ago, but my laptop abruptly went kaput and took this chapter and the next (which I stupidly hadn't backed up) with it. Needless to say, I was _not_ a happy camper! Ironic that they were the pieces I was actually _really_ pleased with and couldn't fathom rewriting, eh?

But! Luckily, things worked out – I took my baby in to get fixed, and that will take a few weeks (grumble), but the important thing is that the geeks managed to recover my data. I am eternally indebted to them! Oh, wait, no I'm not – I shelled out good money for it! The funny thing is that when I _finally_ got the recovery disk, it almost crashed my desktop… Yeah, definitely not a ha-ha type of funny. Technology is clearly out to get me… The point _is_, I've definitely learned my lesson, and will now be backing up my work with a never-ending paranoia.

Anyhoo, your new chapter is finally here. I swear, after all the trouble it gave me, it better be the best one yet! It certainly is the longest, if that counts for anything…

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 25 – Interruptions**

_**January 2006**_

A bullet just barely missed him by a distance (or lack thereof) that was too close for comfort. Diving out of the way, Gambit hit the floor with a grunt and rolled forward. Bending his knees, he used the momentum to get back on his feet and straighten up – and then found himself directly between two gun-toting men intent on pumping enough bullets into him to make him look like a piece of Swiss cheese.

He grinned. There was nothing like the Danger Room to relieve some stress!

With the way things had been going lately, he definitely needed a way to calm himself down. Carol had been more annoying than ever after he had told her the Guild news (the untruthful tweaking of it, of course). He had been hoping it would put her off him slightly, knowing his fate was already decided, but it only seemed to make her all the more desperate to spend as much time with him as possible.

The irritation had been building inside of him for days, and he worried it would burst at an inopportune moment. Hence he had taken to ensconcing himself in the Danger Room, going through countless training programs that served the dual purpose of acting as catharsis and keeping him away from Carol. Currently he was running through one of Kurt's designs, which featured enemies based off of the agents in _the Matrix_ movies. At first he had chuckled at the boy's obsession with the trilogy, but now that he was actually facing off with the agile, multiplying holograms, Remy was less inclined to laugh.

Shots were fired at him from both directions, and he quickly ducked and rolled towards one of the suited men. He coolly aimed his firearm lower, but before his finger could pull the trigger Gambit jumped up and tossed a charged card at his chest. With the explosion stunning him enough to stumble back a few steps, it gave the thief the opportunity to grab his arm and twist it behind his back while pushing him in the direction of his companion. The mutant used his captured man as a shield, forcing him towards the other agent before shoving him forcefully, knocking the two to the ground.

Removing his bo staff from a trench coat pocket, the Cajun quickly extended it and forcefully smacked his enemies on their heads, knocking them out of commission before they could stand. Keeping his weapon in hand, he moved out of the alley he had been in and then found himself in courtyard tucked between apartment buildings.

The cement setting looked like it had been lifted directly from the movies. "_Dieu_, Kurt, couldn't y' be a bit more creative?" he wondered, but then the thought fled from his mind as he sensed somebody creep up behind him.

He tried to spin around, but his reaction time wasn't quite fast enough. A black slack-clad leg struck and kicked him in the back of his knee, instantly causing his leg to collapse. Falling forward, Remy tumbled down a few steps before coming to rest on his back at the bottom.

"Hello, Mr. Gambit," he heard an oily voice say. Peering up, he saw the agent staring down at him through black sunglasses. The demon-eyed mutant vaguely wondered if he himself appeared that disconcerting when he wore his shades.

Again he was being distracted with inconsequential thoughts! He was swiftly brought back to reality when Agent Smith aimed another strong kick in his direction. This time his lightning fast reflexes were effective, and he captured the foot just inches before it would have crushed his nose. Wrenching it firmly to the side, the agent was forced to twist with it to avoid the ankle being snapped, thus throwing himself off balance and falling over.

Swinging his own legs up and over his head, Remy used his hands to push off the pavement and hop to his feet. Reaching down to grab his staff, he brought it up in time to bash another agent in the jaw as he came rushing towards him. Whipping around, he swung the metal rod in a wide arc as two other men ran at him from behind, striking them on the sides of their faces. They careened down to the ground amidst shards of shattered sunglasses.

The broken pieces were crushed further into the ground as more agents stomped over them, rushing out of the doors around the courtyard until a crowd of at least a dozen encircled Gambit. They surrounded him and then froze, seemingly pausing for him to make the first move. He smirked, using the delay to regain his breath before taunting, "Well, _hommes_? What y' waitin' f'r?"

Those words broke the spell that hung over them all, and they all charged the Cajun at the same time. Cursing and suddenly wishing he hadn't goaded them, Remy moved forward as well, grabbing the jacket lapels of the first agent to reach him – crouching and yanking him over his head, he propelled the man into his cohorts and knocked a number of them over like bowling pins. However, there were still too many left standing, and they all sprung towards Gambit simultaneously.

The young man braced himself for a painful dog pile, but to his surprise it didn't come. Instead a powerful force zoomed by him, toppling the remaining agents in seconds. "Simulation completed," the Danger Room computer announced, and the inner-city hologram and the heap of dispatched agents disappeared, leaving behind the cause of their defeat.

"Hey there!" Ms. Marvel greeted him perkily, looking particularly satisfied as she stood in front of the thief in her training outfit. "Thought I'd lend you a hand!"

"Uh, t'anks," he reluctantly expressed gratitude (though he certainly didn't feel any), willing something that resembled a smile to form on his face. Since when had she started coming after him during training sessions? He thought he had found a safe haven from her in the Danger Room – if that wasn't the case anymore, what was he going to do? "But I didn't really need de help, y' know… Y' didn't have t' go t' de trouble."

That had apparently been the wrong thing to say, since she frowned and crossed her arms. "Well, coming in here seems to be the only way I can spend time with my boyfriend these days!" she complained huffily. "You're _always_ training – what's the deal? It's like you never have time for me anymore!"

"Well, I have t' keep dis body lookin' sexy, don't I?" he joked with a wink, trying to alleviate the tension he could feel building in the room (although not _too_ much, since he realized that keeping her somewhat annoyed at him was what he wanted).

"Hmph," Carol scoffed, tossing auburn and white hair over her shoulder haughtily, but his keen eyes noted the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. "Whatever you say… How about we run a program together then?"

That was the last thing he wanted to do! After all, the only reason he was there was to avoid her. He didn't particularly feel inclined to fight by her side and potentially have to save her from danger, making her all the more enamoured with his chivalry and bravery. "I don't know, _belle_, I was actually just finishin' up…"

"Don't be silly, it'll be fun!" she insisted, floating to the control console next to the door. Before he could walk over and think of a reasonable excuse to give, she had skimmed through the training catalogue and picked a sequence. The next second it was loaded, and Remy found himself on a downtown street with giant Sentinel robots slowly clomping towards him.

"_Merde_," he sighed, putting his staff back into a pocket and pulling out a deck of cards instead, anticipating a few big booms.

It turned out that he needn't have bothered – Ms. Marvel took the air and simply ploughed through the mutant-hunting machines with her super strength, bashing them into pieces without an ounce of finesse or skill. The program ended in minutes, with the Sentinels smashed to smithereens and lying smoking on the street. After the computer announced the run's completion the simulation faded from view, and all that was left was a seemingly exasperated Carol hovering in the air.

"That was _it_?" she whined, pouting. "That was way too easy! The X-men really need to go through some harder practise…"

Remy privately thought that anything was easy when you could simply bash your way through it with a guarantee that you wouldn't be hurt, but he kept that to himself. Then, to his amusement, she continued, "Hey, why don't _we_ spar for a bit?"

His forehead furrowed. She wanted to fight him? Well, that would surely be interesting – but that would mean the two of them getting sweaty and breathing heavily, with lots of close body contact… And that probably wasn't a position he wanted to be in! No, it would be _much _too tempting, so he rapidly replied, "Don't t'ink dat's a good idea, _belle_."

"Oh, come on!" she wheedled, moving closer to him and widening her blue eyes pleadingly (which didn't have anywhere near the same effect as when Rogue did so, he compared). "I promise I'll go easy on you!"

The Cajun blinked in surprise at that comment. She was serious! She hadn't said that teasingly, to provoke him into agreement – she actually meant it! She thought she could defeat him in a fight? With her powers it was certainly possible, but his skills _far_ outweighed hers. Suddenly he was insanely curious to see how a tussle between them would turn out, and before he could stop himself, his pride had forced him to accept. "Y're on."

Calling for the computer to load Wolverine's preferred setup, the pair then found themselves standing in the middle of a dojo. Shooting the girl a cocky grin, Gambit asked, "Shall we dance, den?"

"I'd love to," Carol replied before taking to the air and zooming right towards him.

He dove to the floor and felt her swoop over him, the air whooshing and rustling through his hair as she flew by. As he tumbled to the side and rose once more, she was already looping around for another pass. This time she attacked from a steeper angle, legs first as she tried to strike like a hornet – he kept evading her, quick on his feet as he wove around her attempts.

"Y' gonna keep t' de sky, _belle_?" he panted while scowling at her. "Dat's not a very fair fight, henh?"

"Just keeping you on your toes!" she informed him in a sing-song voice, but she lowered herself back to solid ground and curled her hands into fists.

That was more like it. He bowed grandiosely, as if to thank her, and as she smiled at the motion Remy then swiftly crouched and pivoted on his left foot, bringing his right around to sweep her off balance. To his surprise it worked, and she would have fallen right on her rump had she not caught herself and begun floating just mere inches above the floor.

"Hey, no fair!" she whined, straightening herself back into a standing position once more. "I wasn't ready for that!"

"All's fair in love an' war, henh?" Gambit pointed out with an unrepentant shrug, while wondering how the girl would ever last in a real fight. She would probably be worried about breaking a nail.

"Oh, whatever," she huffed. "Let's just start again, okay?"

"If y' insist," he sighed wearily, and readied himself.

Ms. Marvel kept her eyes on him, but when it became apparent that he wasn't going to make the first move, her impatience took hold. Stepping towards him, she began throwing punches. Her fists flew through the air with a great deal of force behind them but Remy dodged them effortlessly, simply walking backwards and shifting from side to side. It was almost too easy, with a pattern behind her swings and them constantly aiming for the same area. They also left most of her body wide open and undefended – it would be all too easy to get his own jabs in.

Oddly enough, he felt torn at the prospect. It was all too appealing to be a bit more aggressive and hurl some hits her way, but at the same time he was reluctant about it – technically, that was Rogue's body he would be attacking. Looking at her face, even with blue eyes in place of green, he didn't know if he would be able to do it.

Lost in his inner debate, he almost didn't notice when Carol decided to add a kick into the mix, lashing out to Remy's left side. Falling backwards to duck underneath her leg, he allowed his momentum to roll him over his shoulder and land him back on his feet, before moving rearward again as she kept up with her barrage. It went on like that until Gambit backed into the dojo's bamboo partitions, leaving him no further room to manoeuvre. She wound up and tossed another punch his way, and he lunged to the side as her fist made contact with the wall with such power that its impact on the metal siding of the Danger Room could be heard.

It obviously did her no more damage than swatting a fly, but she was still bothered. Turning and narrowing her eyes, she shouted at Remy, "You're going easy on me!"

"_Non_, o' course I'm not!" he denied, and went back to evading her punches.

"You are so!" she maintained, stopping in her tracks and stomping a foot petulantly, somehow managing to be perceptive for once and sensing his reluctance to retaliate. "Stop it, seriously!"

He cocked a brow, finding her demand amusing. He had figured she would _want_ him to treat her specially – and if he didn't and actually managed to land a blow on her, she would probably wail about that after the fact. But if that was really what she was asking for… "Okay den, if y' say so."

She renewed her assault on him and he withdrew his bo staff, deflecting her blows while being especially careful that she wouldn't damage it. This time he also used it offensively, prodding her when she left herself open for it. Still, it wasn't doing much, and as the pace of their sparring increased the Cajun grew more frustrated. Finally, he held his staff in one hand and clenched the other into a fist, cuffing Carol's jaw.

She didn't even blink. It did more harm to him than her, and Remy grimaced in pain as he flexed his throbbing fingers. Forcing himself to ignore it, he retracted his staff and tucked it away before grabbing a deck of cards, deciding to add a bit of firepower to the fight.

Backpeddling a few steps to give himself more room, he then charged an Ace of Spades and tossed it towards the girl. He hadn't expected it to do much damage (in fact, it did more to her clothes, singing the hem of her shirt), but it prompted her to stop her movements for a moment as she looked down at her scorched top, utterly surprised at his action.

"I can't believe you did that!" she exclaimed, seemingly put out. He _knew_ she would start complaining again, no matter how adamant she had been about him not holding back!

Still, Gambit was glad he had found something that irked her. Fanning out a hand of cards, they glowed brightly before he released them, one after the other heading straight for her. She saw them coming but not in time to completely fly out of the way, and they ended up exploding on her right side and down her leg. Having been charged with more kinetic energy than his previous shot, they burned completely through Carol's outfit and left a span of pale skin exposed. The thief noticed that instantly and grinned, a devious idea forming in his mind.

Drawing a few more cards, the mutant put his precise aim to the test, hurling the small pieces of volatile paper towards his target. They struck true and fizzled, leaving a few more holes in her uniform, this time providing a tantalizing view of her collarbone and the sensuous curve of her hip. Her uncovered skin was always pleasant to see, and it distracted him more than he thought it would. It also irritated Carol more than expected, and before Remy knew it, he was flat on his back as the girl tackled him to the ground.

He tried to get up but found it impossible with Ms. Marvel straddling him. While he would usually appreciate such a position, this one was all too tantalizing – not to mention rather compromising, with her perched precariously on his hips as her tattered clothes hung scantily off her.

Remy gulped.

"Uh… I guess y' win, _belle_," he laughed nervously, shifting slightly in an effort to get out from under her – but that only caused her to press more tightly against a sensitive part of his anatomy, and he froze.

She smirked at him, leaning down until her mouth was next to his ear. "So what does the winner get then?" she whispered seductively, licking her lips and smug with the knowledge that his eyes were glued to her every move.

"Well, um… I…" Gambit began to falter, and was unable to finish speaking as she shifted on top of his again. Unconsciously, his hands fluttered to rest on her waist, and he was torn between wanting to push her off and needing to pull her closer.

Carol pulled her upper body away, only to place her hands on his shoulders and leer menacingly over him. "I can think of something I want," she purred, slowly bending her head down, and Remy could only lay there and watch as her lips headed on a collision course with his. The space between them was rapidly closing and…

"Am I interruptin' something?" a gruff voice spoke from off to the side, startling them both (and prompting Carol to dig her nails into him in shock, at which he winced). Glancing over, they saw a less-than-pleased Logan glaring at them. He stood there calmly, but the tenseness in his muscles and the clench in his jaw indicated he was anything but.

Surprisingly Ms. Marvel was the first to recover, straightening up and coolly replying, "We were just sparring."

The man raised a bushy eyebrow in disbelief. "Computer, end program," he ordered, before hiking a thumb over his shoulder and demanding, "I want the room for a while, so get outta here. But since you're so keen on training all of a sudden, ya can come back for a run with me tonight."

She scowled and was about to complain, but was at least clever enough to realize that protesting would only make him question her excuse. "Fine," she huffed, before finally rising up off of the prostrate Cajun. Shooting him one last pout, she then flounced past Wolverine and out of the sliding door.

Remy raised his shoulders slightly to watch her leave, but otherwise didn't move. Once she was gone, he released a long-held breath and let his head drop back to the floor with a dull thud. The peace didn't remain for long. He lay flat, sensing the ground's vibrations throughout his body as Logan stalked over to him.

"Get up," he commanded, his voice full of suppressed anger. He didn't give him a chance to comply – instead he dug a foot in underneath the thief's side and kicked, flipping him over onto his front.

"I'm up, I'm up," the younger mutant grumbled, getting to his knees and then standing.

"Not for long," Logan uttered ominously, standing there with his corded arms crossed firmly over his chest. "Ya wanna tell me what the hell that was all about? An' you're not dancin' your way outta this one, bub – I ain't blind, I saw what was goin' on."

He wasn't about to back down an inch. Carelessly brushing some dust off of his sleeve, Remy flippantly retorted, "Y' know de _femmes_ can't resist me, henh? Who am I t' disappoint dem?"

Ignoring the cockiness, the man threateningly growled, "Thought I told ya to stay away from her."

"Don't t'ink y' ever actually said dose exact words," he casually shrugged. "An' besides, y' ever t'ink dat maybe it's _her_ who can't stay away from _me_?"

The Canuck snorted and began to circle Gambit like an animal preparing to pounce on its prey. "Yeah, right – an' I'm the Queen of England."

"I'm serious," Remy declared, dropping his arrogant attitude for once. It would only antagonize the other mutant, and he couldn't afford that right now. He needed him on his side, and perhaps if he played his cards right… "Y' haven't noticed how she's always lookin' f'r me, wantin' t' spend time wit' me?"

"Of course I noticed!" Logan scoffed. "I'm not an idiot. I can see the way she looks at ya, an' I can smell the freakin' lust comin' off her whenever you're around! An' don't think I can't smell it on _you_ either."

The Cajun frowned slightly, not having thought of that. That certainly made it harder to deny… So maybe he had to stick in a morsel of truth amongst his explanations? It was worth a shot. "I ain't denyin' some lust… But dat don't mean it's f'r Carol. She's in Rogue's body, remember."

A rumbling emanated from deep in the feral man's throat. "That's not winnin' ya any points, Gumbo."

"Just tellin' y' de truth, _mon_ _ami_," he claimed, raising his hands in an innocent gesture. "Can y' really blame me f'r admirin' dat beauty?"

"I _can_ blame ya when I find you two up close an' personal!"

"Hey, dat was _Carol_, not Rogue," the thief pointed out, making the all-important distinction. "An' me admirin' her is de furthest t'ing from de truth."

Logan stopped his pacing directly in front of him to stare at him sceptically. "Oh yeah?"

"_Absolument_," Remy asserted resolutely, looking directly at the other man. "Y've spent time wit' her, y' know what she's like! Y' honestly t'ink I'd want t' be around her more den I have t'? I can't stand de _fille_!"

The expression on Wolverine's face didn't change (he'd make a good poker buddy, he fleetingly thought), but Gambit could see something flicker in his dark brown eyes, and he knew he agreed with him – even if he would never explicitly say so. He wasn't completely persuaded, however, and continued on with his interrogation. "That don't explain why you two were so damn cozy."

"Hey, dat was _all_ her!" he exclaimed indignantly, shaking his head. "I was in here trainin' t' get _away_ from her, an' den she insists on sparrin'. Can't exactly push a _femme_ wit' super-strength off me, can I?"

The Canadian stepped closer, until he was almost in Remy's face. Mere inches away, he inhaled deeply, his gaze never breaking from the younger mutant's. A few moments later he grudgingly stated, "You're not lyin'." Gambit grinned in relief and opened his mouth to speak, but Logan raised a hand and cut him off. "But that doesn't mean I trust ya, Gumbo."

"Den I'll prove it," he declared, tilting his chin up stubbornly.

"Oh yeah? How?" the stocky man challenged.

Good, now if he worded this correctly, maybe he could even get an unknowing partner in his plot… _Dieu_, it was a desperate measure, but then, he was in a desperate situation. "Y' want me to stay away from Carol? No problem – give me reasons t' avoid her an' I'll do it," Remy proclaimed decisively.

Wolverine blinked, clearly not expecting the boy to willingly offer to do what he'd been threatened to do instead. Frowning, he wondered, "You serious?"

"As de grave," came the response, but the thief could see that he needed more convincing. "Look, I told y' – Carol's feelin's, dey ain't reciprocated. I want t' stay away from her just as much as y' want me to, so why not work together on it?"

He could see the cogs in Logan's brain churning away, mulling the idea over – yet he could also see them churning the opposite way and crushing him between the gears. He hoped the offer would be too much for him to resist… But it seemed he'd forgotten a crucial thing, the thing the man cared most about. "What about Stripes?" he asked gruffly.

"What about her?"

"Don't suppose this little deal would extend to ya stayin' away from her too, would it?"

Remy shook his head firmly in the negative. "No can do, _homme_," he answered determinedly. "We're friends – don't want t' stay away from her."

The Canuck's eyes rolled impressively. "Yeah, right – _friends_. Sure."

"What?" the young man cried defensively.

"I told ya, I ain't stupid," Logan replied brusquely, shifting uneasily. "I can smell the lust on her when you're around too."

"Really?" Remy lit up at that, but wilted slightly when the fiercest glower yet was directed at him. Sighing, he tried to reassure the wild man. "Look, y' don't have t' worry about me an' Rogue. We've talked, we know where t'ings stand between us. Carol's de one y' have t' worry about."

"Don't want ya standin' near either of 'em," the Canadian glowered, the muscles in his arms bulging as he flexed – possibly wanting to hit him for having some sort of arrangement with Rogue, Remy assumed. Thankfully he didn't follow through on the urge. Instead, he continued to stare the Cajun down for what seemed like an eternity. No doubt he was trying to decide the lesser of two evils: protecting Rogue from him, or from Carol. To his amazement, he then resentfully extended his hand.

Gambit wanted to sigh in relief, but he played it cool, taking the hand and shaking it. The moment he did, Logan squeezed it hard, his adamantium-laced skeleton exerting practically enough pressure to crack his bones. "Ya got a deal, bub," he snarled warningly. "But listen carefully. Ya try anything, an' I mean _anything_ funny that hurts that girl, an' you'll be gettin' to know my three pals here –" He popped out the claws on his other hand, pointed them at his throat and then slowly trailed them down south to an area Remy wanted them _nowhere_ near. "– real well. Got it, Gumbo?"

Doing his best not to flinch from the pressure on his hand, the thief merely nodded, but couldn't help wisecracking, "Now dis conversation I t'ink we've had before."

"Do we need to have it again, or has it sunk in yet?"

"_Non_, dat's fine, I've definitely got it," he quickly said, turning down the all too eager offer and finally getting released from the strong grip. "Just glad we got all dat straightened out… Guess I'll leave y' t' y'r session, den." He swiftly spun on his heel to exit the Danger Room without further incident, but didn't get far.

That same strong grip now latched onto the collar of his trench coat, yanking him backwards. "Not so fast – you're doin' the run with me."

He silently cursed to himself. "Great…" But then he turned and tetchily queried, "Hey, why am I de bad guy in dis when Carol started it? Why not make her run de gauntlet?"

"I'll be runnin' her through a session later, remember? An' believe me, she won't enjoy it," Logan promised before giving him a pointed look. "An' while she's in here, you'll be packin'."

"Packin'?" Remy echoed curiously.

"Yeah. Chuck's sendin' me up north to check out some anti-mutant activity. If you're so serious about gettin' away from Carol, then ya won't mind comin' with me," Wolverine proposed, just waiting for the younger man to protest.

There was no way he was going to, however. An extended period of not having to deal with the clingy girl? Hell, despite having to spend time with the gruff Canuck, it would still be considered a vacation. "Not a problem, _homme_," the Cajun acquiesced easily.

"Good," Logan grunted, nodding in reluctant approval. He didn't appear to be particularly thrilled about gaining a travelling partner, but at the same time he seemed somewhat pleased (or at least, as pleased as the animalistic man ever was) that Gambit had agreed to prove himself. The next instant a smirk materialized on his face. "Now, let's get trainin', Gumbo! Computer, start program 112!"

And as the environment around them shifted into a war-torn street with exploded buildings lining the route and rubble strewn everywhere, the lightness in Remy's attitude faded slightly. Sure he would get a temporary reprieve from his current troubles, but first he would have to survive whatever Wolverine was preparing to throw at him…

- X -

**_That evening_**…

Grabbing a few t-shirts out of his dresser, Remy placed them in the duffel bag lying open on his bed. They didn't seem to fit very well on top of the pants, boxers, toiletries and decks of cards he'd already stuffed inside, so with a frown he removed a couple and tossed them haphazardly onto his pillow. Pressing down on the pile of clothing with one hand, he tried to use the other to zip up the compartment and just barely managed.

Smiling in satisfaction, he then dropped down onto the mattress and stretched out. He was still sore from the hours spent in the Danger Room getting thoroughly walloped, and now all he wanted to do was sleep. With his packing done, all he had to do was rest for the night and then in the morning he and Logan could take off. The thought made him feel considerably more buoyant – soon he would be hundreds of miles away from Carol, and he couldn't wait.

His good mood was dampened a bit by recalling that her switch would be in a few days, meaning he would miss Rogue's return. That wasn't something he wanted, but he hoped Rogue would understand his desperate need to get away for a while. Well, she _definitely_ would if he explained what exactly Carol was doing, but that wasn't a very good option at the moment – so he would simply have to make up for his absence when he returned. He remembered Valentine's Day was coming up, and a multitude of ideas came flooding into his mind with just how he could woo his _chère_…

His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door, and he sat up, startled. He hoped that wasn't whom he thought it would be…

"Remy? Hon, are you in there?" he heard the shrill voice call out, and he grimaced. No such luck.

He wasn't in the mood to deal with her now. Well, not that he ever was, but he had been hoping more ardently than usual to avoid her this evening – after all, leaving without saying goodbye would _have_ to piss her off! So he kept silent, thinking she would take the hint and leave.

She knocked again, much louder this time, the door actually shaking under her strength. "Remy? Come on, are you there? I just had the worst session _ever_ with Wolverine, he was _so_ mean to me! I was hoping you'd find some way to cheer me up…" she ended with a suggestive coo.

He swallowed nervously, trying to purge the thoughts of what she could mean from his mind and wishing she would just head off already. Rather than giving up however, she began to turn the doorknob instead.

What was she doing? The door was slowly creaking open, and Remy panicked. Thankfully he kept enough of his wits about him to remember he didn't want her to see his duffel, so he grabbed the bag as he dove across to the other side of his bed. He landed on the floor just as the girl entered. The bed hid him from her view, but that wouldn't last if she walked around it – with nowhere else to go, he silently slipped underneath it while Carol shut the door behind her.

Now all he could see of her was her feet, those silly furry boots she insisted on wearing slowly treading further into his room. "Remy?" she tentatively called out once more. The lack of a reply didn't deter her – she only grumbled under her breath, but kept skulking around. What on earth was she doing? Then he silently chuckled at the question. What was _he_ doing? He had resorted to hiding under beds now? That was pathetic.

Still, he wasn't about to crawl out and face her, so he remained still and observed. Her feet meandered over towards his desk, and he could hear her picking up things and shuffling through papers. The nerve of her! Despite his leanings towards the less-than-legal, he had never resorted to peeping through _her_ things… Yet.

At least he didn't have anything incriminating lying around, or else he would've been in trouble. No, he wasn't stupid enough to leave things unsecured, especially in a mansion full of curious kids and unlocked doors.

Her feet moved closer to the bed and he held his breath. She had no reason to look down and peek underneath it, but what if for some reason she did? She stood still for a bit, and he heard her inhale deeply. A few moments later she started walking again, thankfully out the door. Only after it shut firmly and Remy heard her steps fade away down the hall did he crawl along the floor and rise to his feet.

Taking a glimpse at his desk, he saw his wallet had been moved, along with the various other knickknacks that had been sitting there. The items had been so obviously rearranged that he would have been able to tell even if he hadn't been watching her do it. Some people were _so_ unprofessional about their snooping around…

Glancing around the rest of the room, he saw nothing else had been disturbed. …Or had it? Something seemed off – but what?

Then he noticed it. A t-shirt he had thrown over his pillow was gone. Unbelievable – she had stolen it! _He_ was supposed to be the thief, not her!

- X -

_**February 2006**_

Curled up on her usual window seat in the library, Rogue's lips quirked as she read over the romantic dilemmas of the Dashwood sisters. This was the life! All she needed was the pleasant ray of sunshine that warmed her through the glass, a classic novel, and no distractions whatsoever. It was a perfectly pleasant way to spend Valentine's Day, far away from Scott pathetically attempting to serenade Jean (the boy simply couldn't sing – anybody walking past his bathroom while he crooned in the shower could have told him so) and the younger girls giggling madly whenever a boy so much as walked by them. She revelled in the peace and quiet that surrounded her.

But going over what she had just thought, she realized she had probably jinxed herself. With baited breath, she turned towards the door and anxiously waited for somebody to barge in. …But a few minutes later there was still no noise or movement of anybody invading her sanctuary. She sighed in relief, turned back to _Sense and Sensibility_ and tried to immerse herself in the pleasant environment of Barton Park.

Two sentences later, the door creaked open. It figured! At least it was only Remy. She had wondered when he would come looking for her, assuming he would want to drag her on some ridiculously amorous outing. Of course, it wasn't like she could (or would) accept, but she had to admit to herself that the offer _would_ be rather flattering…

"_Bonjour, chère!_" he announced, striding over eagerly and plopping down beside her. And, just like she predicted, he grinned winningly and asked, "So, _ma fille_, got any plans f'r today?"

Something within her felt crafty, so she decided to have a bit of fun. Calmly returning her attention back to the page, she coolly commented, "Sorry, swamp rat – another guy got to me first."

The girl could tell he had been expecting her to decline the invitation, but not because of what he probably instantly considered competition. "_Quoi_?" he blanched, tensing perceptibly.

"Yeah, Ah've already got a date lined up fo' later," Rogue continued casually, pausing just long enough for Remy's jaw to drop before she informed him, "Yah know, that trainin' session with Jamie."

The relief on his face was palpable before he scowled and muttered, "Dat was cruel, _chère_, scarin' me dat way."

"Sorry," she smirked back playfully, completely unrepentant. "Ah couldn't resist."

"Well, dat just means y'll have t' make it up t' me," he negotiated promptly, his unease already forgotten. "Let's go out somewhere, what do y' say? Befo' Wolverine sniffs us out an' drags me off."

She frowned at that. Remy had told her about his confrontation with the Canadian and how he had helped him avoid Carol – which was good news, but it seemed the man was including her in the deal as well. And if she knew Logan, then it wasn't just because of a misunderstanding. No, he no doubt knew that the last thing the Cajun wanted to do was avoid her, but he made it happen anyway. Damn the man's overprotectiveness…

Although that wasn't completely fair. She was thankful for it occasionally, especially if it helped Remy stay away from Ms. Marvel – who knew what that floozy would do? But he'd been dragging Gambit off for so many Danger Room runs and missions and odd jobs that she'd barely gotten a chance to spend any time with him this month, not to mention the fact that he'd been gone the first few days she'd been back in her body.

So his request to spend time with her was enticing. Incredibly so, actually, but the Southerner was hesitant. The timing may have been fortunate in terms of them both being free, but it certainly wasn't in terms of the day's date – so she reluctantly shook her head in the negative.

That didn't dissuade the thief one bit, who instead put his patented puppy-dog expression on, widening his eyes and making his lips droop irresistibly. "Oh come on, why not?"

"Have yah forgotten what day it is?" Rogue glowered at him, immune to that face (as cute as it was).

"Valentine's Day, o' course," he answered promptly. "Y' didn't t'ink I'd forget a day as important as dis, would y'?" He seemed extremely proud to have remembered it, not falling into the trap that spelled disaster for countless other men when they missed celebrating the holiday.

"Exactly! It's Valentine's Day – yah don't think it'd go against everythin' we agreed on if we went out today?" she pointed out in annoyance, irked that he hadn't taken the consequences of his invite into account. She couldn't go out with him on today of all days after insisting that they only be friends until everything else had been settled! Yes, Belladonna was now out of the picture and she had been overjoyed at learning that, but Carol was very much still involved and could even be considered the more complicated factor. The Mississippian couldn't let herself flip-flop on the issue – she had to remain firm and resolved.

But Remy was resolved to get his way. "Well, we don't have t' do it as an official couple, do we?" he suggested straightforwardly, leaning back in a relaxed posture that seemed to call for her to try and argue against him. "We could just go out an' have fun, like we usually do. I know y' like t' gripe every time, but why not let me do somet'in' special f'r y' dis once?"

He said that so sincerely, and Rogue's heart did gymnastics in her chest. She would have never predicted being in this scenario, with a handsome young man practically begging to take her out on February fourteenth. The idea was an alluring one, and she really did want to throw caution to the wind and consent… But she forced herself not to. If she agreed, what then? She would use the same rationalization the next time, and the next, until before she knew it they would probably end up truly dating! And that couldn't happen, not yet.

Besides, an outing with the Cajun Casanova today reeked of some sort of sentimental and extravagant gesture – as if she didn't have a hard enough time resisting him already! "Somethin' special on Valentine's Day, arranged by a sneaky Cajun who's tryin' to win me over? D'yah honestly think Ah'll fall fo' that?"

"Hey, I swear I don't have anythin' planned!" he swore, throwing up his hands in surrender. "No romantic arrangements whatsoever."

Rogue eyed him sceptically for a few seconds before concluding he was telling the truth. "Good," she stated, but was then unsure whether she had expressed relief or disappointment. Neither was a sentiment she wanted him to pick up on – what if it then prompted him to arrange something, or gave the impression she wasn't interested? Grumbling to herself, the girl spared a fleeting thought for how things used to be far simpler when she had no romantic prospects. Deciding that reverting back to that attitude would probably be her best course of action, she then stated, "'Cause yah know Valentine's Day really isn't as romantic as people think it is, right?"

"Ahh, is this where y' rant about how it's a fake holiday concocted by florists an' greetin' card companies?"

She wasn't sure if it was sweet or eerie how well he knew her. Deciding not to obsess over that, she simply nodded. "Yeah, that's a big part o' it."

"Not exactly true, though," he declared, leaning towards her conspiratorially as if imparting some great secret. "Did y' know dat in ancient Rome de Emperor banned marriages, so a priest, Valentine, married people in secret? He was found out an' executed, but years later he was made de patron saint o' lovers an' Valentine's Day began t' be celebrated."

"An' how on earth do yah know all that?"

"Uh… Remember it from Sunday School, actually," he admitted sheepishly, moving back to his original reclined position and shoving his hands into his trench coat pockets boyishly.

Rogue rolled her eyes, secretly finding that adorable – but at the same time easily imagining him charming all the nuns. "Well, Ah knew that too," she drawled. "That's part o' my point! What's so romantic about a guy gettin' his head chopped off?"

"But _chère_, he died f'r love! Dat's de most romantic t'ing y' could do!" Remy winked at her.

"Right, so are yah gonna drag me out an' arrange fo' us ta get killed?" she replied sarcastically, ignoring the swooping of her insides and her private concurrence with his statement. Lord, when had she become so fanciful? It was worrisome.

"_Non_, but dat's not a bad idea f'r a first date…" he joked mischievously, before he slipped into a more serious guise. Standing up and extending a gloved hand towards her, Remy beseeched, "Please just come wit' me? Don't t'ink about it havin' anyt'in' t' do wit' Valentine's at all – how 'bout us celebratin' a year o' me bein' here at de Institute? Dat's surely an occasion t' commemorate, henh?"

Staring at his hand warily, Rogue's mind raced. She could allow that, couldn't she? It would be no different from the other times they went out… Still unsure, she bought herself some time by retorting, "Oh, yah mean commemoratin' th' day yah became a constant thorn in my side?"

The comment didn't phase the Cajun at all, his hand unwavering. "I'll let y' rationalize it whatever way y' want, as long as y' agree t' come."

She bit down on her lower lip. "No romance whatsoever?"

"None." He raised his other hand as if giving a solemn pledge. "I swear it'll be completely platonic. Any signs o' roses or chocolates an' I'll let y' hit me."

"Yah'll _let_ me? Please, like yah could stop me!" she shot back, a small smile growing on her face as the emergence of some banter made her feel more comfortable. That would be acceptable, wouldn't it? They were friends, and friends could go out and spend time together, no matter what the date. She had his word that there wouldn't be anything to remind her of the holiday, so she could pretend it was any other day… Sighing, she finally relented and grasped his outstretched palm. "Aw, hell, why not? Not like Ah got anythin' better to do."

His eyes lit up in delight, belying his words as he sarcastically said, "T'anks _chère_, I'm feelin' de love!"

"Oh, shut it, swamp rat – yah should be thankful Ah agreed!" She couldn't believe she had let him talk her into it. But it wasn't a big deal, she sternly told herself – nothing out of the ordinary, just a normal excursion with a friend. It would be nice to finally spend some time together…

…And she couldn't believe her pathetic attempts at justifying it, so she finally gave up. It was too late, her choice was made, but it would be fine. It didn't have to mean anything at all – she was the only one reading anything more into it.

"I'm more thankful den y' know," he grinned, leading her over to the door. Then he opened it and swept his arm out grandly. "Shall we?"

The pair made it out of the mansion without any diversions, stopping to grab coats and scarves before stepping out into the frosty air. The sun was shining brightly and caused the light sprinkling of snow on the ground to sparkle, and the effect was so nice that Rogue suggested they walk about town for a bit. With no specific destination in mind, Remy was in accord with that, and the two leisurely strolled down the streets of Bayville.

Their light-hearted chatter (from Remy's recent missions to Rogue's latest fashion tips from Kitty) took them through the park, and without even discussing it, both knew they were heading towards the coffee shop so they could get out of the cold. The goth didn't mention it, but knowing that they were on the same page like that was enough to warm her up a bit…

As they emerged from the alley beside the café, Remy had been laughing at a comment she had made. "I can't believe y' actually said dat t' Scott!" he exclaimed before his chortling continued – but then it halted abruptly, the pleasant sound dying in his throat like he had been choked.

Observing him curiously, Rogue saw his mouth had fallen open in shock. His sunglasses concealed where exactly he was looking, but she followed his view as best she could down the street and deduced he had to be staring at the young woman rapidly approaching them. Her brow furrowed, unsure of what exactly had interrupted the boy in his mirth… And unsure of why exactly she suddenly felt so uneasy. She had no reason to, since she had never seen this woman before, but the gritty determination etched on her pretty face and blue eyes was foreboding for some reason.

"Remy Etienne LeBeau!" the blonde girl then shrieked, and Rogue detected a Cajun accent in her words. She glanced up at Gambit, thinking he would greet her – it had to be a family member or a friend, she assumed. But the thief had paled and tensed, as if he wanted nothing more than to turn and bolt in the opposite direction.

An instant later, Rogue knew why. Her jaw dropped when he disbelievingly whispered, "_Belladonna_?"

* * *

How many of you saw that one coming? ;)

**Next chapter** – our least-favourite blonde (well, one of) tries to make some trouble…

Okay, seriously folks, I'm _begging_ you for reviews! After reading my sob-story author's note up top about my technological trials and tribulations, don't you think I deserve some? Pretty please? Lemme know all the stress I went through was worth it! ...Not that I want to sound desperate or anything. ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	26. Doubts

**Disclaimer:** Still no…

**A/N:** Oh geez, has it really been a month since I last updated? My bad… Funny how you can not really have any plans and yet end up being completely busy and dragged around to all sorts of random things… But that's not the point! The point _is_ that I've been rather motivated lately, and the end will soon be in sight – so let's continue on our merry little way, shall we? Enjoy this latest chapter!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 26 – Doubts**

_**February 2006**_

Rogue had often heard people use the expression 'frozen to the spot', but she doubted very much that they had ever experienced it literally. Living with a mutant who actually _could_ freeze you meant she had endured such a thing – many times, in fact – and thus felt she could speak with some sort of authority on the subject. It was funny, really – this time there was no actual ice immobilizing her, but it felt like there might as well have been.

She was unable to do anything but watch as the girl Remy called Belladonna (but it couldn't be _that_ Belladonna… could it?) ran up and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing. The cries sounded fake and overwrought to her, as the blonde wailed, "Oh Remy, I missed y' so much! I can't believe it's really y', it's been so long…"

Her stomach churned angrily, not liking what she was seeing one bit. Her green eyes glared at the pair, not really noticing how uncomfortable Remy was in the clutches of the Assassin – she was completely focused on the petite woman pressed up against him. She was dressed in tight leather pants, a low-cut shirt and a long turquoise coat – all clearly chosen for aesthetic purposes rather than to keep her warm from the harsh northern winter. Rogue disliked her instantly, especially the way she was desperately clawing at his trench coat as if she wanted to wrap herself up in it. She probably did, too, the Mississippian grumbled internally, but articulated nothing. She didn't quite know what to say…

She felt a burning rage flow through her system, and surely her stance and expression gave it away, but she didn't put any effort into hiding it. What exactly was going on here? Clearly the other Cajun was Remy's fiancée – or _former_ fiancée, if he had told her the truth… Had he? They certainly looked cozy together! And why was she here in New York? Rogue was about to start demanding answers but Remy beat her to it, finally coming to his senses and pushing Belladonna away none too gently.

He stepped over to Rogue's side and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, no doubt meant to restrain her. It did calm her somewhat, but what was better was hearing his harsh voice then enquire, "What de hell are y' doin' here, Belle? How did y' even find me?" His tone quelled the qualms in her mind – not only was he displeased at seeing her, he was completely surprised as well. That made two of them, then…

"I'm here t' see y', of course!" the girl proclaimed, wiping away what Rogue was sure were crocodile tears from her cheeks. "I used some Guild contacts – dey took a while t' find y', but at least dey worked, because we really have t' talk, face t' face! Somethin's happened, an' it's really upsettin', so I thought it'd be best if I was de one t' break de news…"

What news could she be talking about? Wait… She didn't know that Remy was already aware of their broken engagement? Well, that explained her presence then, Rogue mused distrustfully. She was probably hoping to disclose it to the groom herself, spinning it in such a way that would make her seem less at fault! It was cynical, and she briefly wondered if it was right of her to think so ill of the girl when they'd never even met, but then she banished that naïve train of thought from her mind. Remy had told her some tales about his (former) bride-to-be, and they certainly supported her theory. But even without that knowledge, the mutant probably would have come to the same conclusion on her own – Belladonna wasn't the most gifted of actresses, and was practically transparent with her intentions.

Gambit obviously agreed with that assessment, as he smugly informed her, "I already know de weddin' was called off."

Belle blinked, temporarily stunned by that revelation. "_Quoi_? But… But I thought y' didn't know! Y' didn't even call…" Her mouth hung open for a few seconds before sputtering indignantly, "How on earth can y' be so calm about it? Why didn't y' call, why didn't y' complain t' de Guilds like I did! What, did y' have more important t'ings t' do?"

It was then when her piercing gaze finally fell on Rogue, who up until that point hadn't been deigned worthy enough to warrant Belle's attention. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see…" she murmured angrily, in a quiet manner that somehow managed to be much more hostile than screaming was. "Out on de town wit' a _fille_ instead o' tryin' t' salvage our relationship, henh?" Then she snorted, and what would have normally been quite a pretty face contorted in an ugly sneer. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised! Who is dis skunk?"

As if she hadn't heard _that_ a million times before, Rogue thought. It wasn't the most original insult yet she bristled anyway, not about to take any of the girl's slurs lying down. A retort was on the tip of her tongue but she never got the chance to hurl it, as Remy seethed and shouted, "_Ferme_ _ta bouche_ (shut your mouth)!"

Belle was taken aback by his harshness, apparently never having been on the receiving end of it before – but she recovered quickly, recognizing a weakness like a shark detecting blood in the water. "Oh, why's dat, _cher_?" she chuckled, her eyes glinting maliciously. "Y' don't want me t' say somethin' in front of her I shouldn't? I guess I should heed y'r wishes, like a good _fiancée_ would!"

Not a bad effort, Rogue had to admit. If she hadn't been previously aware of the Guild arrangement and who exactly this woman was, surely she would have been enraged, embarrassed, and hurt beyond belief! But since she was already in the loop, she found herself laughing at the pathetic attempt to send her packing. In fact, she saw the opportunity for even more amusement, so she calmly flashed an insincere smile and said, "Oh, so _you're_ th' fiancée? Ah've heard a lot about yah! Ah've gotta say, Ah thought yah'd be taller…"

She and Remy both smirked at the flabbergasted look on the Assassin's face. It only grew when he then added, "Oh, an' remember – y're not my fiancée anymore."

A few seconds of stunned silence passed, with the girl bewildered at his rectification of her earlier statement. Then she seemed to snap out of her daze, a look of comprehension crossing her face as she glanced from Rogue to Remy, and then back again. Smiling saccharinely, she turned to the thief and asked, "Remy, do y' t'ink we could talk alone? I'm sure dere are some t'ings y'd like t' be able t' say wit'out y'r _fille_-of-de-day hoverin' over y'r shoulder, henh?"

Oh, is that what she thought? That Remy was only putting on some sort of act while his current flavour was there to see and hear everything? Rogue scoffed and was about to tell the swamp slut to shove it, that she wasn't going anywhere, when Remy spoke first and rather reluctantly agreed, "Maybe dat's a good idea."

She had fully expected him to reject the suggestion, so it took some time for his words to fully sink in. "What?" she exclaimed crossly, turning to glare at him (while ignoring the satisfied grin on Belle's lips).

Staring at her apologetically, and then taking a nervous glimpse towards Belladonna, Remy grabbed Rogue by the arm and guided her a few steps away so they could have a private tête-à-tête. "I'm sorry, _chère_," he whispered regretfully, "But I t'ink it'd be better if y' went back t' de Institute."

"Why?" she questioned irately, feeling utterly rejected. "Whatever yah have to say to her, yah can say to me!" What possible reason could he have for sending her away? It wasn't like she didn't know what they were talking about… Unless he had even _more_ secrets he hadn't told her?

"Don't take dis de wrong way… I just t'ink it might be better if y' weren't here. Belle an' I have some t'ings t' hash out, an' dey might get settled faster if y' aren't around t' piss her off. Besides, y' heard her – she t'inks I'm puttin' on a show f'r y'r benefit. If y're not here, she'll take me more seriously."

She crossly contemplated his reasons. Perhaps he had a point… Not that she wanted to admit it, and not that it made her feel any better about the situation. It seemed crazy to leave him alone with a murderous ex-fiancée who had tracked him down halfway across the country! Still, Rogue supposed this was one of those times that required you to trust the other person – and she trusted Remy… Right?

Seeing his beseeching face, she slowly nodded. "Fine," she stated grudgingly.

"_Bien_," he sighed in relief. Squeezing her gloved hand, he then promised, "I swear I'll fill y' in on everythin' when I get back, okay?"

"Okay," Rogue mumbled, not at all happy with the turn of events. Pulling away from the thief, she started walking and forced herself not to turn back to scowl at Belladonna, who surely had a self-satisfied smirk on her face. She was determined to keep her dignity in tact! So the girl strode away confidently until she made it around the corner, where she punched the brick wall in frustration. It crumbled under her strength, and left patches of reddish dust on her gloves.

She was already regretting her decision. Shouldn't she have stayed, didn't she have some sort of say in what went on? Or at least, wouldn't she have been able to prevent the Assassin from trying anything sneaky or underhanded? Who knew what that blonde bimbo would do! Rogue's thoughts flashed back to her throwing herself into Remy's arms, and she began cursing under her breath. She considered staying and spying, but she wouldn't want to see anything that like again (it would only prompt her to pummel the girl, and that would just give away her position!). Besides, she was too far away to hear anything now…

Abandoning all pretence of being remotely okay with what was occurring, Rogue turned on her heel and stomped back to the mansion, worrying the entire way.

- X -

Remy watched as Rogue stalked away, head held high, and felt like a bastard. He knew she was upset, and probably had every right to be, but it was for the best. He told himself that things were almost over – yes, Belle tracking him down like this was a setback, but only a minor one! He should have known better than to assume his engagement would truly be terminated so easily. But still, it would all work out – he was sure of it. He would simply set her straight, send her off, and then go back to Rogue and reassure her that all was well.

…_Dieu_, he was so full of crap he didn't even buy his own assertions.

Truth be told, Belle showing up was probably one of the worst things that could have happened, and there was no way her presence would bring any sort of good. However, he wasn't about to roll over and play dead! He would find some way to pull this off… He'd managed before, and he'd manage again.

So, turning towards his former betrothed, he stood and waited for her to say something. Now that his fellow mutant was gone, some of her bravado had faded. She seemed more nervous, less self-assured. That was odd. Then again, this whole scenario was odd! Why was she even here in the first place? He was getting impatient, so he was glad when she finally spoke – but all she asked was, "Do y' want t' get a cup o' coffee or somethin'?" as she inclined her head towards the café.

That was his and Rogue's place – he couldn't take her there. "_Non_, not really," he declined, stuffing his hands in his pockets and fingering his cards. He just wanted to finish this! "Just say what y' wanted t' say."

She came across as rather anxious, and finally just grabbed his arm and dragged him a ways into the alley they stood beside. The less exposed environment had her appearing slightly more composed, but she still queried nervously, "So, um… What exactly have y' heard?"

"Oh, I know all about de elders callin' off de engagement," he responded coolly, leaning back against the brick wall. "…On account o' y'r romps wit' de pool boy."

She stared down at the dirty ground, summoning a few tears before leaping into his body once more, wailing, "Oh Remy, I'm so sorry! Y' have no idea how much I regret what I did… It's just dat it'd been so long since I saw y', an' I was _so_ lonely an' missin' y' so much! An' he was really sweet t' me, an' he reminded me a lot o' y', an' it was all just a horrible mistake!" She burrowed her head into his t-shirt, sniffling, "Is dere any way y' could possibly forgive me? Please? If y' do, we can speak t' de Guilds together an' try t' fix dis mess, an' maybe still get married!"

Her pleas baffled him initially, muffled by speaking into his chest – but when he finally parsed out what she had proposed, he began to laugh, long and hard. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed the girl away, stared straight at her and was able to stop chortling long enough to adamantly state, "_Non_."

"_Quoi_?" she uttered, genuinely surprised (and perhaps even a little hurt by his harsh reply, but that failed to be any of his concern at the moment). "_Non_, y' can't forgive me?" Her blue eyes watered, and rather desperately she haggled, "But why not? I could forgive _you_ f'r bein' here wit' dat goth girl! We could forgive each other an' start over, an' go back t' de way t'ings used t' be!"

She had inadvertently given him an opening, Remy realized. He could easily say that he wasn't able to forgive her, make up some ridiculous excuse that her betrayal was too raw and that she had abused the love he had for her… But he didn't want to. No, it was time to finally set the record straight! Ever since the engagement was announced he'd been spineless about it, and it had only led him into trouble – but now he could stand up for himself and there was nothing she would be able to do about it. Taking a deep breath, the thief braced himself and declared, "_Non_. It's not dat I _can't_ forgive y', it's dat I don't _want_ t'."

He couldn't have said it any clearer, and it finally seemed to sink in for her. She stumbled back a few steps and breathed, "What?" The speed at which she moved from being hurt to being incensed was mind-boggling, as she then defensively cried, "Why not? It's not like I held all de _femmes_ y' flirted wit' back home against y' – an' y've probably bedded every cute _fille _dat looked y'r way since y' came up here! Y' shouldn't be such a hypocrite about it! I only cheated a few times, 'cause I missed y'…"

"Oh, dat's a good reason," he shot back sarcastically, and then argued, "Believe it or not, but dere's only been _one_ girl I've been interested in since I came up here!"

Belle was genuinely thunderstruck at his pronouncement, but her astonishment was then replaced by disgust. "_Non_, dat's impossible… Don't tell me it's dat goth whore!"

"As if y' should talk!" he retorted, scowling strongly at her. "I won't hear y' speak like dat about someone I have feelin's for!"

The Assassin took that as if she had been slapped in the face – and then decided to do so to Remy, whipping her hand across his cheek. "Feelings f'r her? What about _me_?" she yelled in distress. "Y' said y' _loved_ me!"

Cupping the stinging side of his face, he then shook his head dourly and quietly replied, "I never said dat."

"What do y' mean? Y' told me all de time!"

"_Non_, I didn't," he insisted. He had taken care never to say those three little words, yet managed to give the impression that he had indeed reciprocated.

Mentally going over those instances, Belladonna's brow furrowed in confusion – but then came her horrified realization, and she gaped at him. "_Mon Dieu_, y' never did, did y'?"

Remy merely watched as comprehension slowly dawned on her.

"What, so y' never loved me? Y' were only wit' me because de Guilds forced y'?" she interrogated him bitterly, moving towards him and poking him angrily in the chest.

He knew it was callous, but there was no other way the notion would permeate her thick skull. "_Je_ _suis desolé_, Belle – but I was only wit' y' because I had t' be. Now dere's nothin' tyin' us together anymore, so just go back t' N'awlins an' sleep wit' all de pool boys y' want."

Gambit's conclusion of that having been the wrong thing to say came too late, after the blonde's jaw had dropped and she had shoved him so forcefully into the wall that his head knocked rather painfully against the bricks. "How dare y' say dat!" she hissed, and he could honestly say that he had never seen her so furious. "It's not fair! Y' were de biggest ladies man in Louisiana an' de Guilds looked right past dat, but when I try t' have a bit o' fun I get screwed over!"

A caustic rejoinder was on the tip of his tongue but she continued raving, "Do y' have any idea how hard it's been f'r me, everybody hatin' me f'r ruinin' de peace talks? Dey all blame me f'r bein' so flighty – why de hell should _I_ get all de blame when _you've_ been doin' de exact same t'ing!"

"First of all, don't compare our actions!" he objected, stepping around her so he wasn't sandwiched between a frenzied Assassin and the wall. "What I did was nowhere near as bad!" For once he wasn't flitting about from conquest to conquest – dating two girls in the same body could be comparable, but there was no way he wanted to inform her about that whole debacle… "An' second, I wasn't de one who got caught!"

"How dare y'?" Belle rasped in contempt, glaring daggers at him in such a way that he would have guessed her eyes were her weapon of choice. "Y' leave me, find somebody else, tell me y' never loved me, an' let me become de laughin' stock o' de city?"

"Believe it or not, but I didn't mean f'r any o' dis t' happen!" he tried to make clear, but that wasn't really his primary worry. "Just get over it, henh? Y'll find some other boy toy t' keep y' amused in no time."

"Y' really t'ink I could just move past dis dat easily?" she gasped, but Remy knew her too well – he had no trouble noticing the subtle upturn to her lips and her slightly-too-wide eyes that gave away her insincerity.

"Oh please," he jeered. "Like y' still love me anymore! If y' really did den y' would've waited f'r me." Like he was for Rogue, he added on privately, but he wasn't going to be mentioning that.

He seemed to hit the nail on the head, because Belladonna looked guilty after his assertion and didn't reply. So she didn't have such deep feelings for him anymore… That was just fine with him. He felt much better at learning that, actually – she hadn't come to find him because she still loved him, she came because she wanted to fix her standing within the Guilds. That reassured him, knowing there wouldn't be any volatile feelings brewing between them, just waiting to erupt… Well, unless you counted the rage that was being directed at him.

But what could be done about that? There was really nothing more to it, so he finally held up a hand. "Look, I t'ink we've said all dat needs t' be said. We're done, Belle."

As he turned and began to leave, the blonde was finally shaken out of her stupor. Dashing up behind him, she clutched the back of his trench coat and didn't let him get far. "We are _not_ done! I didn't come all de way up here t' go back wit'out havin' fixed anythin'!"

"Dere's no way y'll be able to get t'ings in y'r favour," he claimed, swinging around and forcefully extricating his coat from her grip. "As far as I'm considered, everyt'ing is finished between us, an' dis is de way t'ings will stay."

And with that resolution, the Cajun stalked out of the alley without a backwards glance. He heard her shrill voice shriek ominously, "This isn't over! Don't t'ink I'll just leave t'ings like dis!" but he didn't stop. At this point he didn't care about her empty threats – he only wanted to get out of her sight, having had more than enough of her pointless arguments. And more importantly, he needed to see Rogue.

- X -

For what must have been the thousandth time, she peered over at the alarm clock on her nightstand, and then resumed her pacing. The time had yet to change from her last look, and she bit back a frustrated sigh. It would do no good to get so neurotic about things… And yet she couldn't help worrying.

Why wasn't Remy back yet? In reality it hadn't been that long, but to Rogue it felt like an eternity. She simply couldn't stop her mind from coming up with all sorts of crazy scenarios, such as Belladonna exacting her revenge and killing her former fiancé… It could happen, couldn't it? She was an Assassin, after all – she was probably taught to win arguments by battling with weapons instead of words.

No, the Southerner shook her head firmly. Belladonna wouldn't do that – she wanted Remy. Whether it was for her own benefit or for her own feelings Rogue wasn't sure (and truthfully, didn't like either option), but at least she could be quite certain that both ways required Gambit be alive and intact.

But what if she managed to say something that won Remy over? What if she offered him a deal he couldn't refuse, and now they were off on their merry way back to New Orleans together? "Get a grip, gal," she told herself firmly. She was only working herself into more of a tizzy by contemplating such things, but she couldn't help it – her anxiety had taken full hold of her mind, and it wouldn't cease with its paranoid possibilities.

Taking a deep breath, Rogue did her best to stop thinking and instead focused on her pacing. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth … Tedious, but it did the trick. Hmm, counting her strides could keep her occupied until he came back…

Just after she passed sixty she heard a quick knock, and nearly tripped over her own feet in her excitement to get to the door. "Come in!" she shouted eagerly, but a frown took up residence on her face as she saw Kitty phase inside the room instead of the tall, dark and handsome mutant she'd been expecting.

"Hey!" the girl greeted her cheerfully, bouncing over to the bed and plopping herself down. Then bringing her hands up to the tips of her hair, she asked, "What do you think?"

Rogue had to blink a few times, but then noticed Kitty's new shorter hairstyle. It was a bit odd to see her friend without the perky ponytail perpetually bobbing along behind her, but her new cut was nice. "Ah like it," she declared, albeit rather distractedly. "Makes yah look like a sprite or somethin'."

"Yeah?" she trilled, delighted. "Thanks! I just got it done earlier, Piotr treated me to a morning at a spa! It was _so_ relaxing, just being pampered and waited on… My hair was done, and my nails, and I even got a mud bath! We'll totally have to go one day!"

Relaxation sounded wonderful right about now, Rogue thought enviously, half-listening as Kitty gushed on about what a sweetheart Piotr was and how they were just on their way to dinner and various other Valentine's Day activities… But she snapped back to attention when she heard the other mutant concernedly query, "Hey Rogue, are you okay?"

She had obviously noticed her distress. It was surprisingly she hadn't already, since Rogue doubted she was hiding it well… She should have tried harder, since its source was something she didn't want to discuss right now. If she blurted everything out then Kitty would surely cancel her plans and stay with her to calm her down – it would be appreciated, of course, but she couldn't bear to ruin the girl's romantic day. One of them deserved to have things go well, didn't they?

Besides, it wouldn't do to talk about it while it would just be speculation. Better to wait until Remy came back and apprised her of what exactly had gone on… _If_ he ever comes back, a tiny voice in the back of her mind piped up. She quelled it quickly, and made her decision.

"Nothin's wrong, Kit," she tried to reassure her. When the girl shot her a disbelieving look she amended, "All right, there _is_ somethin' wrong, but we can talk about it later? Ah don't wanna keep yah from yo' busy Valentine's Day schedule."

"Are you sure?" Kitty asked skeptically. "Piotr and I don't have reservations or anything, so if you wanted to chat for a while I could make time…"

"Nah, it's fine," she insisted, waving a hand airily. "Not much to tell yet anyway." Then pointing a finger towards the door and adopting a stern expression, she ordered, "Shoo! Go have fun with yo' boyfriend!"

"Yes ma'am!" Shadowcat mock-saluted, knowing when to let Rogue win her arguments. Standing up, she skipped towards the door – but before she phased through she fixed Rogue with a determined glare and proclaimed, "But don't think I won't be back later – and then you _will_ tell me about whatever's bothering you. Ooh, and we can gorge ourselves on chocolate too..."

Her tone left no room for disagreement – not that Rogue felt particularly inclined to do so anyway. By then she probably would need to spill the beans on the latest drama…

Walking over to the bed, the Mississippian flopped herself down on the spot Kitty had occupied and commenced staring at the ceiling. It figured – just when she had received good news about Remy's engagement being called off, something negative had to happen in its place. It was like the universe was balancing itself out… Would things _ever_ work out for them? It seemed unlikely.

Her thoughts continued in that downward direction for some time, until another knock came at the door. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Rogue called for them to enter and decided to wait until she saw who it was before getting too excited. When she saw it was Remy, she leapt to her feet.

"What happened?" she demanded before he could say so much as a hello.

"Relax, _chère_," he told her with a smile. "T'ings are fine."

She felt immeasurable relief at that, but it still didn't satiate her intense curiosity. "But what _happened_? What did she want to talk to yah about?"

"She basically begged f'r forgiveness, tryin' t' get t'ings back t' de way dey were," he revealed, rolling his eyes in an attempt to convey the absurdity of it all, which made Rogue feel somewhat better. "Thought we could start over, go back home an' get de engagement back on."

Rogue's breath caught in her throat. "She still wants to marry yah?"

"Hey, I kept tellin' y' dis Cajun was irresistible t' de _femmes_!" he winked, but saw she was far from amused. Reaching down to clasp her hand comfortingly, his attitude was more serious as he assured her, "It was just t' get her standin' in de Guilds back – not because o' any deeper feelin's."

He seemed so sure and she desperately wanted some of that certainty for herself, but couldn't quite bring herself to believe it was all that simple. "So that's it then? It's over an' done with for good?"

Remy's face clouded for a second, and he was a bit hesitant to admit, "Well, she's still in town…"

"What?" the girl exclaimed, wrenching her hand from his. "How does that count as bein' fine?" If she was still skulking around, who knew what kind of crazy stunts she could pull? She would probably be lurking in the shadows, watching every step they took…

"Calm down," he urged, gently pulling her down to sit beside him on the bed. Soothingly placing a hand on her leg the Cajun avowed, "Dere's nothin' she can do – de weddin' business is done f'r good. I know she doesn't accept dat yet, but knowin' her, she'll be fed up wit' my stubbornness pretty quickly. When she sees I won't back down, she'll go back home an' stop botherin' us, I promise."

Rogue bit her bottom lip and observed him carefully. He really, truly believed what he was saying – and she supposed she'd have to defer to his opinion on this, since he was the one that knew Belladonna… She gave a small sigh and nodded warily. But could it really be that easy? She wanted to believe him, she really did…

- X -

_**The next week…**_

Why had he been so confident? He should have listened to Rogue, with her unease about the situation – he had thought she was merely being her typical distrustful self, but this time it had been warranted. Belle should have been long gone by now, but instead she remained in Bayville, as if determined to make his life a living hell. And if that was in fact her goal, she was well on the way to achieving it…

She called his cell phone every day, begging and beseeching him to reconsider. A few times she had even insisted they meet, somehow under the impression that if she pouted and stared at him with pleading eyes that he would change his mind – the only thing it _actually_ served to do was further raise his ire.

But what could he do about it? He tried his best to make excuses, explaining that he had responsibilities at the mansion that he couldn't duck out of easily, but those weren't always effective. Twice already he had found himself reluctantly trekking downtown to meet her, having heard the unspoken threats about if he failed to show.

Who knew what she would do if he didn't cooperate? Remy knew her well (much to his chagrin), but he still couldn't predict what her actions would be if provoked. She could go after Rogue, as she certainly had no qualms about eliminating whomever she saw as competition… Or what if she showed up on the mansion's doorstep and revealed who she was in relation to him? He would never hear the end of it, and if the gossipy students got a hold of that juicy tidbit it would be sure to reach Carol's ears, and then what could he tell her? 'Oh, my fiancée just stopped by t' chat f'r old time's sake, we just wanted t' catch up…' Although that _would_ anger her greatly, which _was_ what he wanted… But that would mean juggling both Belle and Carol at the same time, something he didn't even want to think about!

So once again he was forced to acquiesce to Belle's meeting. Rogue hadn't been too happy with him going, but it had to be done. Maybe his refusals would finally sink in this time, prompting her to leave? He could only hope – after all, third time's the charm…

Pushing open the door of the bar Belle had named, he sauntered inside. She was sitting alone in a booth, but judging from the way the various men around the room were eyeing her (and her miniskirt), she probably wouldn't have been on her own for long. Sighing in exasperation, he made his way over to her while ignoring the jealous glares.

"About time," she sniffed, and pushed a glass of bourbon towards him. "Want a drink?"

"No t'anks," he declined, knowing better than to drink something he hadn't seen prepared – especially with an Assassin in the vicinity (he wouldn't put drugging him past her, or any member of her Guild). "Can we make dis quick?"

"Dat all depends," she shrugged easily. "De ball's in y'r court, after all. If y' agree t' what I'm askin' den we can fix dis whole mess an' be done wit' it!"

He groaned in frustration, and was sorely tempted to down the alcohol in front of him in one gulp. "How many times do I have t' tell y'? I want nothin' t' do wit' y'! Dere's not goin' t' be a weddin', so accept dat an' go back home."

"Y're bein' so cruel!" she cried, loud enough for the bar's other patrons to look inquisitively in their direction. Lowering her voice, she leaned across the table and hissed, "Do y' have any feelin's at all? Are y' not de least bit guilty about what y're puttin' me through?"

"I have plenty o' feelin's," he informed her seriously. "Just not f'r y'."

"I can't believe y'!" she huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine, forget de marriage t'ing den – maybe y' could help another way! What if y' tell de elders y've been cheatin' too? Dat way we could share de blame! Wouldn't dat be more fair?"

Remy let out a low whistle. "I don't t'ink y've ever been concerned about bein' fair in y'r life!" The Assassin was clearly desperate if she was making that sort of offer – if he held out just a while longer then she would surely reach her wit's end.

"_Well_?" she questioned, gritting her teeth.

"Still not interested," he told her firmly, praying his message would at last be absorbed. She wasn't about to get anything out of him, and if she finally accepted that, there wouldn't be anything she could do but leave. Frankly, he was surprised she hadn't already – she had never been the most patient of girls.

"_Merde_, what'll it take?" she yelled angrily. "Just name y'r price – y' always have one!"

He smirked superiorly at her. "Not dis time, Belle." Then he stood up to leave, but couldn't resist bestowing one last piece of sardonic advice. "Go home, henh? Mardi Gras will be startin' soon, an' if I recall, y' were always more den eager t' oblige de men wantin' t' give y' beads…"

"Screw y'!" she spat out. She swiped his untouched bourbon and Gambit thought for a second that she would toss it in his face, but instead she downed it herself, coldly glaring at him over the rim of the glass the entire time.

Inclining his head towards her in an insincere adieu, he turned and left – but he couldn't help thinking that he should have drunk the liquor after all….

- X -

_**A week later…**_

Rogue had made the rounds, bidding her friends goodnight and goodbye before her switch, which was just hours away. For some reason, she felt rather nervous about it. She told herself it was nothing more than all the stress and concern from the past two weeks building up and finding a new outlet…

That was probably it. Ever since Belladonna had appeared in town, Rogue had been tense. It wasn't that she was physically afraid of her – trained killer or not, there would be no way for the Assassin to hurt her, what with her invulnerability. But instead of the physical aspects, it was her mental vulnerabilities that were worrisome.

She had been doubting herself recently, turning things over and over in her head to try and make sense of them. Who wouldn't, with a beautiful ex showing up out of the blue? She'd had uncertainties about her relationship with Remy before, what with all its obstacles, but they seemed worse now that one of those obstacles had acquired a face. She'd ceased to be merely an abstract concept.

The mutant had to admit, the girl was beautiful – tall, slim, with flowing blonde locks and bright blue eyes that easily attracted attention and envy… She was basically like Carol used to be, Rogue realized – and Carol had often complained about now being stuck in a body that was the opposite of hers, that nobody would show her any interest anymore. Perhaps the Mississippian's slightly shorter and curvier stature wasn't as appealing to some, but that wasn't the main problem.

The fact remained that one of them could touch, and the other couldn't.

She knew they had argued about it before, and that Remy told her over and over and over again that it didn't matter to him, but the misgivings still sprung up in the back of her mind. Why would he go through all this trouble for a sullen, moody girl he wouldn't even be able to have skin-on-skin contact with? Was she really worth it?

But then Rogue stopped and shook her head violently. No, it wouldn't do any good to think that way… Heaven help her, but she believed him when he told her that he wanted her. Would he really have expended so much effort if he didn't? After all, he could have any girl he wanted with a snap of his fingers or that damn grin of his, but he had set (and maintained!) his sights on her. That meant something, she was sure of it.

Somewhat mollified, she did her best to purge the rest of her reservations from her head – she was almost at Remy's door, and he would be able to tell if she was upset. The last thing she wanted was to rehash those issues again, especially since she'd have nothing to do for the next month but stew about them.

Rounding the corner, she stopped when she saw him already exiting his room. Spying her, he grinned. "Ahh, dere y' are, _chère_! I was just comin' t' find y'."

"Well, here Ah am," she replied, waiting for him to catch up to her before they headed down the corridor together.

"…Y' all set f'r y'r switch, den?" he asked. The look he gave her was one of intense scrutiny, like he was afraid she would just go 'poof!' and disappear at any second – that, and his reluctant tone, told Rogue that he didn't want her to leave. It made her stomach flip-flop a little, actually – those were the little things he did that erased her doubts…

"As much as Ah ever am," she sighed, forcing herself away from such thoughts – but apparently they still used up enough of her attention to make her forget to mask her unease.

Gambit frowned, picking up on it instantly. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Nah, Ah'm fine," she waved off his concern, and stopped in front of her bedroom.

"I'm not buyin' it," he stated, turning the knob and dragging her into her room. After shutting the door to prevent passersby listening in, he earnestly enquired, "What's de matter?"

Rogue's eyes gazed skittishly around the room before resting on the view from the window. "Nothin' important… Ah dunno, Ah just feel kinda edgy, that's all. It's silly, really."

Her reassurance was spoken with anything but conviction, and Remy wasn't persuaded. "Edgy? About what, de switch?"

"Yeah, Ah guess," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders uncomfortably. "Ah know Ah shouldn't be – it's not like Ah'm not used to it or anythin'… Ah dunno, Ah think Ah'm just feelin' a bit off."

"Y' sure dat's it?" he continued to prod. He really was annoyingly perceptive sometimes.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it…"

He cocked a brow. "Y're not still frettin' about Belle, are y'?" he queried knowingly.

She vaguely wondered why he even bothered asking questions when he already knew (or was completely convinced he knew) the answers already. When she didn't reply his guess was confirmed, and he put his hands on her shoulders. Staring her straight in the eyes, he resolutely said, "She's as good as gone, _chère_."

"Yah keep sayin' that!" Rogue cried. "But she's still here!"

"Not f'r long," he swore, and then favoured her with a secretive smile. "I phoned _mon_ _père_ t'day – asked him if de Guilds could arrange some reason t' call Belle back home, an' he was happy t' help. She'll be gone in a few days, at de most."

Her spirit was lifted at his words. "Really?"

"Really."

"Oh, that's a relief," she breathed, a vast number of her worries evaporating.

"Tell me about it!" Remy chuckled in amusement. "Y're not de one who'd have t' deal wit' Belle an' Carol at de same time! I was havin' nightmares about dat…"

Rogue's temporary elation faded, her thoughts directed back towards upcoming events. "Uh, speakin' of, what do yah want me to say to Carol? Should Ah tell her about Belle?" She had to confess that a part of her _wanted_ to, if only to see the look on her face…

The other mutant appeared thoughtful at that comment. "Don't know," he mused, furrowing his brow a bit. "Dat probably wouldn't be a good idea – she'd just want t' know what she was doin' here, an' I definitely don't want her findin' out about de engagement bein' off… Nah, dere's no reason t' tell her – it's not like de two o' dem will meet or anythin'!"

"Ah guess," Rogue murmured, still not quite sold on the matter. No matter his reassurances, something about the whole thing continued to feel wrong… But she shook her head and tried to focus on something positive. "An' if for some reason they _do_ run into each other, Ah'm sure Carol not bein' told about her would just piss her off – an' that's what yah're aimin' for, ain't it?"

"Ahh, don't even say such a t'ing!" Remy winced, probably imagining the horrors a meeting like that would bring about. "Dat's not goin' t' happen!"

"For yo' sake, it better not," she snickered, vivid images of such an encounter running through her mind's eye. "They might decide to gang up on yah!"

"Dat's not funny!" He shot her a cross look, but it quickly disappeared as he joined in the chortles. "Least I got y' laughin'. Y' feel more confident about t'ings, den?"

"Yeah, Ah'm good," she lied, although more convincingly this time. The Cajun's charms were a cure for a lot of things, but they simply hadn't done much good in ridding her of the annoying gnawing in her stomach.

Trying her best to ignore it, Rogue focused on saying her goodbyes to Remy and fighting a blush when he kissed the back of her palm as he left. She concentrated on the words he spoke before exiting her room, telling her, "Don't worry, _chère_ – everyt'ing will be fine. De trouble wit' de other _filles_ will be over before y' know it."

She replayed that promise over in her mind as she climbed into bed and tried to fall asleep. Things would be just fine… There was no need to worry, Remy had things under control.

* * *

Oh yes, I'm sure Remy's got everything handled. After all, he's done such a great job so far, hasn't he? ;)

**Next chapter** – more of Remy's obstacles are removed, but at what cost?

You know, the fanfiction ecosystem is very fragile! Us authors subsist on those oh-so-nutritious reviews you lovely readers leave, which hopefully give us enough energy to churn out the next chapter, to let us continue on with the vital reviewing/writing cycle… So, feel like participating in this lovely little circle of life? ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	27. Revelations

**Disclaimer:** I hereby proclaim this chapter to be disclaimed!

**A/N:** My original author's note read that for the first time in quite a while I actually didn't have any technical difficulties with this chapter and I worried if that would jinx me – and of course, it did! And thus I had trouble uploading… Document manager is out to get me. But at least it worked in the end, so here you go, a new instalment! This one was _quite_ fun to write – and I'm sure it's what a lot of you were waiting for, so enjoy!

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**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 27 – Revelations**

**_March 2006_**

Peace and quiet was something to be cherished at the Xavier Institute, since in a household of rambunctious teenage mutants it was exceedingly rare. It was also something to be cherished when dealing with Carol Danvers, since she apparently didn't know the meanings of the phrases 'alone time' or 'personal space'. So Remy tried to appreciate the moments of serenity that had miraculously been granted to him, especially because he knew they would soon end.

And surely enough they did, with a shrill voice shattering the silence into a million pieces. "Remy, let's go out and do something!"

So it began, yet again. He sighed in as subtle a manner as he could. "Can't it wait, _belle_? I'm not really in de mood right now…"

In response came the grumble, "You're _never_ in the mood!"

That much was true, Gambit admitted to himself as he valiantly scoured his mind for some sort of adequate excuse to avoid spending time with the girl. He would need one he hadn't used recently, since this was the same discussion they'd already had multiple times in the past week or so since her switch. She insisted on them going out, and he always did his best to put it off.

At least now he had a more valid reason than simply not being able to stand her – if Belladonna was still hanging around town, there was absolutely no way he would consider leaving the mansion! _Especially_ with Carol in tow. Knowing his former fiancée, she would undoubtedly show up for another round of pleading with him, and he had no desire to think of some elaborate story to feed Carol about who she really was.

Of course, he hadn't been keen on letting Carol out of his sight for that very same reason. It had been wearisome, but he had managed to keep her confined to the Institute lately. It required considerable sacrifice on his part (such as actually spending time with her), but that torture was infinitely preferable to the hell he would certainly endure if the two girls met up. He shuddered at the thought.

However, Belladonna hadn't been heard from in the past week. She hadn't called, she hadn't written, she hadn't arrived unannounced at the front door and made a scene… He had called home to inquire about her whereabouts, and Henri had told him that as far as the Guilds knew, she was finally on her way back down south. The relief he had felt at that piece of news had been immeasurable! So perhaps it would now be safe to take Carol out? Not that he particularly wanted to, of course, but his excuses had finally run out.

"Come on!" she whined, her arms crossed over her chest in a petulant manner. "Wolverine's gone somewhere, which means he's not around to baby-sit us for once! Let's get out of here before he comes back."

"Are y' sure y' want t'? It ain't very nice outside… It'd be a good day t' stay in," Remy suggested weakly, still desperate for anything that would exempt him from an outing. Unfortunately, the possibilities seemed bleak: Logan was gone and unable to provide a cover, he had no clue where Kitty was, Carol had already checked and found that there was no training sessions scheduled that he could use as a cop-out… He had been caught unawares and unprepared, and he would probably end up paying the price for it.

Carol rolled her eyes. "I'm not suggesting we go on a picnic or anything! I want to go shopping, meaning we'll be inside and the weather doesn't matter. Besides, I'm desperate for some new clothes!" the girl exclaimed, casting a disdainful glance down at her jeans. They had been artfully torn to give them a shabby-chic vintage vibe, but were clearly a cookie-cutter commodity. She picked at them idly. "I hear skinny-leg pants are in now. Amazing how styles can change in only a month, huh? Too bad Rogue doesn't keep up with the times."

He clenched his jaw as she hurled yet another thinly-veiled insult at her mental roommate, trying to stop himself from retorting. After taking a second to compose himself, he instead commented, "I'm not de biggest fan o' shoppin' – an' I don't keep track o' de latest fads much myself. Wouldn't Jean or one o' de other girls be a better choice?"

"But I want to spend time with _you_!" she pouted, stepping nearer and running a hand down his chest. "Besides… Wouldn't you like to see me model some clothes? Especially at…"

He gulped as she trailed off suggestively. He shouldn't have asked her to finish that sentence, but he couldn't help his curiosity. "At what?"

She smirked coyly, pressing even closer into him, and then stood up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, "Well, I was planning on picking up some new lingerie… But I'd love to get your opinion on it first."

Remy coughed awkwardly, trying to clear his throat of the giant lump that had settled there. Damn her for planting such alluring images in his mind! What exactly could he say to that?

Luckily, he didn't have to respond. The girl somehow took his stupefied silence as acceptance, and so she grinned and began to push him out of his room. "Great, let's go!"

The thief reluctantly followed her through the halls and down the main staircase, heading towards the garage. They passed a few of the younger mutants on the way, and suddenly he was struck with inspiration. "Hey, anybody want t' go t' de mall wit' us?" he questioned, striving not to seem too hopeful but silently praying they would accompany him. Having a group with them would make things much easier…

He ignored the glare Carol sent his way and instead focused on the other girls. Jubilee surely wouldn't turn down the invitation, would she? No, there was no way – she was the mansion's official mallrat (after fighting Kitty for the title long and hard)! But to his dismay she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but we actually came back from there a little while ago."

"Aye, an' Jubes practically bought out all the stores!" Rahne added playfully, at which he smiled. If only that were really the case, then they would have no reason to go…

He cursed internally at his shoddy luck. Too bad they couldn't have gone earlier, then he could have used the other kids as a buffer… But the others merely told them to have fun (and gave a few pointers on some sales), and then ran off to wherever they'd been heading. As soon as they were out of sight, Carol frowned and smacked him on the arm. "What was that! Why'd you invite them? I don't want to hang out with the kids!"

Remy shrugged casually, playing it off as no big deal. "Just t'ought I'd be polite, _belle_. Besides, didn't want t' make dem suspicious, henh? We wouldn't want t' make dis seem too much like a date." _Merde_, that last word had been hard to force out. He felt like gagging on it.

At least she accepted his justification – although she wasn't very happy about it. "Whatever," she grumbled, and flounced off to the garage.

The car ride to the shopping centre was tense, as the other mutant was apparently still miffed at him. She turned on some ridiculously bubbly pop music and resolutely stared out the window while Remy exerted considerable effort in trying to block out whatever pop-tart was screeching from the stereo. He vaguely wondered whether taking his motorcycle and condemning himself to having Carol temptingly pressed up against him would have been a worse fate than having his ears bleed…

But once the pair stepped into the mall, it was like her grudge evaporated instantly. Perhaps the recycled air held some rejuvenating properties for shopaholics? Whatever it was, the Cajun had no time to muse upon it, since he was immediately yanked away and forced to endure the trials and tribulations of shopping with Carol Danvers. To put it mildly, it was the ninth circle of Hell.

She dragged him from store to store, sitting him down in the change rooms and strutting around in what Remy thought must have been every single article of clothing ever designed – and whenever he thought she was finally finished, she had to continue with every alternative in colour and size of what she'd already tried on. Who would have believed Remy LeBeau could ever get tired of a beautiful girl sashaying in front of him? He had never thought such a thing was possible, but now he knew better.

It seemed that with every single item she modeled she would then ask, "What do you think?", "How does this look?", "Is this my colour?", and the question all men dreaded, "Does this make me look fat?" He knew enough about women to know that she didn't actually want honest answers to her queries, but that didn't mean he understood it. Why wouldn't they want truthful opinions on the goods they considered buying? After he commented that perhaps one of the shirts didn't suit her and endured her subsequent glowering, he had learned to simply smile and nod at whatever she asked. Apparently he was to be her critic without actually being critical – which was too bad, since he'd had plenty of practice in that area.

As if all that wasn't trying enough, he'd also become her pack mule, forced to lug her exponentially-increasing bags everywhere they went. Like he had lamented innumerable times before when stuck with his unwanted girlfriend, Remy wished he hadn't quit smoking – he needed a stress-relieving cig like never before, if only for the excuse to leave her side for a moment.

However, she was impatiently tugging him by the hand and didn't appear keen to let him loose any time soon. He let himself be pulled along for a while, but slammed on the brakes when he saw where she was leading him. " Victoria's Secret?" He thought she'd been kidding about that…

"What, you don't think you deserve a reward for being such a great shopping buddy?" she cooed, giving him a flirtatious glance over her shoulder.

Why did he have to be tested like this? He wanted nothing more than to follow her inside and watch her parade around in skimpy silk and lace ensembles… What would be the harm? He would only be looking, after all! Although she imagined he would one day be taking the intimate apparel off her, he had no intention whatsoever of ever actually being intimate with her…

But a persistent, nagging voice deep within him insisted it was still wrong. It _was _wrong, yet he felt so torn…

Gritting his teeth, he exhaled slowly and did what he had to do. Hoping she would buy the excuse, he nonchalantly suggested, "_Belle_, I t'ink I'm goin' t' drop de bags off in de car first, okay?"

She stopped and turned to raise a brow in his direction, eyeing the load of items he was hoisting. "Can't it wait? They aren't that heavy, are they?"

How would she know, was she the one hauling them around? He bit his tongue to prevent a sharp retort from escaping and instead lightly said, "Y're de one wit' super strength, remember? I'm sure dey wouldn't seem like much t' y'. An' besides, dis way I'll have my hands free t' applaud y'r little fashion show, henh?"

As always, flattery was the key to winning her over. Grinning and batting her eyelashes coyly, Carol tittered, "Aww! Sure, let's head to the car first then."

Remy quickly frowned and hurried to save himself. "Dere's no reason y' have t' trek out int' de cold, why don't y' wait here? Look, dere's a Starbucks – why don't I buy y' a drink an' y' wait f'r me dere?"

Thankfully she praised his thoughtfulness and agreed, and after shooing her away, he took off in the opposite direction. Stepping outside was a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively – he decided to take a leisurely pace, anything but eager to return to the shopping demon possessing Rogue's body.

After dumping the bags into the trunk, his muscles released sighs of relief. He then moseyed back inside, but felt the need to kill some time. Looking around at the shoppers busily bustling by, the thief felt his fingers twitch. Why not put his abilities to the test? He hadn't stolen anything in a while, but the skill was sort of like riding a bike, and he did so with the same ease. Finding a few marks, he picked their pockets easily – and for some added difficulty, he trailed them and then slipped their wallets back into wherever he had lifted them from.

Remy whiled away a few more minutes with his little game, but sadly realized that he had to head back eventually. If he didn't meet her soon, who knew how Carol would overreact? He could imagine her paging him over the intercom like he was a lost child – how embarrassing would that be? He decided not to find out, and grudgingly began trudging back towards the coffee shop.

The tables outside of the café came into view, and he saw the girl waiting there – but then he stopped dead in his tracks. Somebody else had approaching her first… No, it was impossible! He'd been joking about it mere days ago with Rogue, because the possibility of it actually happening was ludicrous! She was supposed to be _gone_…

But Belladonna Boudreaux was right there, striking up a conversation with Carol.

Oh, _merde_.

It was like a train wreck – he simply couldn't look away. He stood immobilized as his fiancée sat down across from his girlfriend with an enormous faux smile pasted on her face, grinning like the gators in the bayou before they snapped up their prey. Logically, he knew he had to do something, such as dashing over and blurting out some explanation – like Belle being some sort of delusional stalker, or schizophrenic, or _something_! Anything! Whatever would save him from the bombshell that was surely going to be dropped… And yet the Cajun could do nothing but look on in horror as he watched his two worlds collide.

The blonde obviously recognized Rogue's body, and he could clearly see her lips greet her by that name. He watched Carol's brow furrow, and no doubt she corrected her as he then saw Belle stare in bewilderment. Carol continued to talk and the Assassin's expression changed from confusion to something much more duplicitous, and with a sinking feeling in his gut Remy knew that Carol was naïvely explaining exactly why she didn't recognize the other girl. Oh _no_… That was _not_ something he wanted! Who knew how Belladonna would use that information?

Belle extended her hand, seemingly restarting the conversation and introducing herself. The thief spared a fleeting thought to being thankful that he had taken care never to reveal his fiancée's name to Carol, or else that greeting might have resulted in a jealous rage. Instead, the two shook hands and the blonde took a seat as they began chatting. _Dieu_, that was even worse than if they had started fighting! Unable to take the risk that anything incriminating would be said, he finally regained control over his body and rushed over, practically knocking other customers down in his haste.

He slowed down when he neared their table, making it appear like he was carelessly sauntering up. "Hello ladies! Imagine seein' both of y' together – an' what might y' two be talkin' about?" he greeted them offhandedly, not letting on about his panic. 'Never let 'em see y' sweat, LeBeau,' he reminded himself edgily.

That was especially true when dealing with Belle, who glanced up at him with a wicked smile dancing across her lips. "Why Remy, good t' see y'! Y'r _girlfriend_ was just explainin' her… interestin' situation t' me!"

The gleam in the Assassin's eyes told Remy that she was deviously turning her newfound knowledge over in her mind, but as of yet Carol didn't appear shocked or angry about anything. Gambit thanked his lucky stars that he'd interrupted them prior to any potentially fatal news having been imparted. Now he had to figure out a way for them to be separated before that could happen, but then the other mutant piped up.

"Remy, I can't believe you didn't tell me your old friend was in town!" she scolded him, before smiling over at the blonde girl. "She said she's known you since you were a kid – that's so cute! We could've gotten together and exchanged embarrassing stories about you! I'm sure there's _tons_ we could gossip about…"

"Right y' are!" Belle laughed along good-naturedly, although the thief could easily ascertain she was far from sincere. "Y' know, dere was dis one time when he…"

He had to wonder what the hell she was planning. She was undeniably up to something – probably gathering more dirt so she could blackmail him… Although she wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, she was unquestionably one of the deadliest, and her shrewdness was almost unparalleled. Surely she would be able to work out that the girl Remy had professed to have feelings for was _not_ the one sitting in front of her, claiming to be his girlfriend…

He was determined to leave before his secrets came out to bite him in the ass. "Belle, y' know, we should really get goin'…"

"Why?" the two girls both responded at the same time, and then stared at each other perplexedly as Remy realized his utterly stupid mistake. Every single swear word he knew flitted through his head, and yet none seemed to accurately describe how royally he'd just screwed himself over.

Belladonna spoke first, in an overly curious tone. "He calls y' _belle_?"

"Yeah, is there something wrong with that?" Carol wondered. "It means beautiful, you know."

The blonde rolled her eyes at being educated about her own language, but withheld a retort – probably because what she was about to reveal would have more lasting impact than a mere insult. "It's just a bit odd, dat's all… since it also happens t' be my name."

The other girl's brow furrowed slightly at that, but Remy jumped in quickly. "So? Dat doesn't mean anythin'! It's a shortened version o' y'r name, dat's all – does dat mean I can't ever use de word _belle_, even when it clearly describes Carol?"

"Aww, you're so sweet," she trilled, reaching for his hand and clasping it in hers as she bought his explanation. He grasped it in return and gave her a tug, meaning to pull her to stand and lead her away, but Belladonna wasn't done.

Apparently the Assassin wasn't as easy to convince as she once had been. "Well, it may describe _Carol_…" She stressed the name, implying she knew who he really meant to insert in that sentence. "But I still t'ink it's weird. Maybe it's me, but somethin' seems wrong when y' call y'r girlfriend by de same name as y'r fiancée…"

Gambit inhaled sharply, both at her revelation and at Carol squeezing his hand in a death grip when she heard it. "Fiancée?" she echoed quietly, but then her voice became stronger. "You're _her_?"

Her posture instantly transformed, becoming much tenser. Her scrutiny of the other girl, previously friendly and affable, was now frosty. In fact, both of their gazes had changed, resembling the cold and hungry stare of two animals fighting over a hunk of meat (and Remy was pretty sure what his role was in that scenario). Their blue eyes had suddenly begun to size each other up, now viewing the other as competition.

Then the stare-down was broken as Carol turned up her nose and haughtily uttered, "Huh. So that's her…"

A scowl materialized on Belle's face, but Remy couldn't tell whether it was from being affronted or from disappointment that Carol hadn't reacted in a worse way. Most likely it was a combination of both… Yet the thief had also expected the Bostonian to make more of a scene, being hysterical at the very least. That was most likely the reason Belle had dropped that piece of news in the first place! Well, at least her plan hadn't panned out, with Carol remaining fairly cool and collected.

"Y' knew about me?" Belladonna queried in a thwarted tone, a perfectly plucked eyebrow raised in astonishment. "Well, dat's a surprise! Who'd would've t'ought Remy'd be honest about somethin'?"

"Hey! Don't talk about him like that!" Carol leapt to his defense while leaping from her chair.

"Look, it's not important," the young man insisted, shifting back and forth on his feet, growing more nervous as the girl became more agitated. If her ire was raised who knew what she would blurt out? He had to separate them, and _fast_. "Carol, why don't we go home now?"

He tried to pull her away but she stayed firmly in place. "She shouldn't say stuff like that about you, no matter how jealous she is!" Then glaring at the blonde girl, she cried, "You'll just have to deal with the fact that Remy's with me and not you! We're in love!"

Belle snorted then, and the look in her eyes was as sinister as Remy had ever seen. He opened his mouth to warn her to shut up, but before he could utter so much as a syllable she dropped the bomb in an overly-innocent tone. "Oh, dat's funny… I could've sworn he loved _Rogue_."

He froze, gaping at her in disbelief. _Dieu_, she had done it, she had actually done it! He tried to wrench his hand from Carol's so he'd be able to run away if need be, but the girl only placed her arms akimbo and laughed. She laughed? Both Southerners gazed at her in puzzlement.

"Oh hon, I think you're confused!" Carol chuckled condescendingly, shaking her head and adopting the manner of a mother scolding an ignorant child. "Rogue's the girl that shares my body!"

She still hadn't put two and two together? He supposed that was something to be grateful for, and he tried to use it to his advantage. "Dat's enough, Belle," he firmly told his fellow Cajun, glaring as she continued to sit calmly at the table and smiled like the cat that got the cream.

She didn't heed his warning tone, ignoring him completely as she stood and continued. "Oh, I'm not confused, _hon_," she shot back patronizingly. "I know exactly what I'm talkin' about! I saw dem together on Valentine's Day, an' lookin' pretty cozy too… An' what was dat y' told me, Remy? Dat y' had feelin's f'r her? Dat y've only been interested in _one_ girl since y' came up here?"

"Look, we don't have t' listen t' dis crap!" Remy declared nervously, putting his hand on Carol's shoulders and trying to guide her away. "Don't listen t' her…"

But Carol remained rooted in place, trying to brush the comments away again – only she was slightly less confident in her contradictions this time. "There's no way! I mean… It's Rogue! It's not possible."

"I know it's Rogue," Belle confirmed, the corners of her lips twitching upwards in a sly smirk. "Black clothes, bad makeup, annoyin' accent? Dey were headed f'r coffee, I t'ink… An' Remy seemed _very_ protective o' her."

"No, you're lying!" Carol insisted desperately. "I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to get me to dump him so you can have him back! Of course that's your plan, you only want your fiancé back…"

The Assassin was about to carry on when Remy stepped forward, yelling, "Belle, dat's _enough_!" He grabbed her arm threateningly, not caring that the other mall patrons around them were stopping to stare and eavesdrop on the unfolding drama. They were the least of his problems right now!

She still didn't stop. Her eyes glinting maliciously, she basked in her revenge as she divulged his final secret. "My fiancé back? Oh, he didn't tell y' dat either? De engagement was called off weeks ago. Apparently he doesn't want me anymore – not since he's found _Rogue_…"

Now Carol's jaw had dropped open, and she looked worriedly between the two Southerners. "No, that can't be right…" Turning to Remy, she looked him straight in the eyed and persisted, "She's lying, isn't she? You would've told me if your engagement was called off, right? Tell me the truth!"

"I can explain," he began tentatively, but paused when she took a stumbling step backwards. Then he realized she had for once picked up on the nuances of his words – saying he could explain instead of outright denying it had tipped her off.

"What? What exactly is there to explain?" she questioned suspiciously, and with a tinge of panic. Looking around wildly, taking in Remy's alarmed expression and Belladonna's imperious one, an air of comprehension finally dawned on her. "Oh my God… It's true, isn't it?"

"Carol, listen t' me," Remy pleaded, moving towards her, but Belle quickly shoved him out of the way. "Oh, shut up, Remy! Y've been lying t' her since day one, why should she listen t' a word y' say?"

"I can't believe it…" she continued to mumble to herself, and only snapped out of it when the thief inched closer. Peering up at him, still with some disbelief, she slowly stated, "You lied to me?"

"Carol, please, listen…"

"You lied to me! How could you?" she screeched, lashing out and slapping him across the face.

The sheer force of it sent him stumbling back into Belle, who instantly pushed him off of her. Once straight and steady on his feet once more, Remy could only watch as the other girl darted away, squeezing herself through the hordes of shoppers and dashing towards the closest exit.

The passersby were shooting dirty looks at him, but Remy paid them no mind. Instead he whipped around to face Belladonna and spat, "I can't believe y'!"

"Excuse me?" she laughed incredulously, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'm not de bad guy here, _cher_! Y're de one who told enough lies t' fill de bayou, so don't go blamin' me f'r de mess y' created y'rself!"

"Don't pretend y'r innocent in all dis!" he retorted. "Y' didn't have t' tell her any o' dat, y' just wanted t' hurt her!"

"Oh please," she scoffed. "I don't give a damn about de _fille_ – pissin' her off was an added bonus. I wanted t' hurt _you_, so we're even now – y' made a mess f'r me, I made a mess f'r y'."

He shook his head. "Dat's it? It's dat simple f'r y'?" How could she be so callous? Didn't she realize that other people were involved in this too, that their lives would be impacted by what she had done?

She merely shrugged. "Pretty much. Y' didn't want t' fix t'ings wit' me, dat's fine – it'll all balance out now, since I'm sure y' won't be able t' fix t'ings wit' y'r _femmes_," she informed him smugly. "So I guess y' got what y' wanted – t'ings between us are done!"

"I don't ever want t' see y' back here," Remy growled out, clenching his fists in frustration.

"Not a problem," she agreed with a smile, stepping forward to pat his cheek mockingly. He didn't bother jerking away or twisting from her as she leaned in close to his body and harshly whispered, "An' if I see y' back in N'awlins, I'll kill y'. Keep dat in mind, henh?" Blowing him a mocking kiss, the Assassin turned on her heel and strode away, waving over her shoulder and blithely calling back, "_Au revoir, mon amour!_"

He watched her leave with the air of victory surrounding her, and all he could see was red. The multitude of lies he had been juggling for the past few months had come tumbling down, all thanks to her vindictive meddling. He should have been deliriously relieved that she was leaving – after all, one of his troubles had removed itself – but at what cost? His relief was overshadowed by the grim knowledge that he had much graver problems still to come.

- X -

Remy broke numerous traffic laws as he sped back towards the Institute, but they were the least of his worries. The more pressing matter was finding Carol before she did anything drastic…

He headed straight for her room and barged right in, not bothering with knocking (not that she would have let him in anyway, he supposed). Inside he found her as she lay listlessly on the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. He might not have known anything was amiss had it not been for the trails of moisture down her cheeks, tinted with the colours of her smeared makeup.

"Carol?" he began tentatively, easing the door shut behind him. He slowly inched closer, as if approaching a frightened animal ready to bolt – although _he_ probably should have been the one preparing to flee, since at any moment she could turn aggressive.

But she merely sniffled daintily, and then sat up. The Cajun was shocked to see her doing her best to retain some shred of dignity – he would have predicted some pleading and begging, yet instead she said in a surprisingly composed manner, "I don't really understand what's going on…"

"Lemme explain," he pleaded, but she held up a hand.

"Wait," she ordered, and took a deep breath. "Let me see if I've got this right…" The girl stood and slowly began pacing in front of him. "So you've been spending time with Rogue lately?" He nodded. "But why? Did you miss me that much? I can see how she's the closest thing to me, and she could be sort of a substitute… But were you really that desperate?"

He gulped. She was giving him a way out… It would be so easy to take that path, to simply agree and stop those tears from sliding down her face – he hated seeing them, but then reminded himself that it wasn't really Rogue in pain. Besides, they were a good thing! They meant that Carol's perfect image of him was breaking apart, and that was exactly what he needed.

Should he tell the truth now that its exposure was imminent? It would be dangerous and probably prompt a volatile reaction, but removing her as an obstacle was so very vital, not to mention tempting… And he'd been stalling for months, trying to find alternate means of going about it that eluded him each time. If he was realistic about this, then there wasn't much he could do to salvage the situation – and who knew when another opportunity to end things would present itself again?

He decided to take the gambit.

Remy stared at her, braced himself, and finally uttered, "It wasn't really like dat."

He had hoped she would see things more clearly now that she wasn't bound by her idealized version of Remy Who-Could-Do-No-Wrong, but she hadn't reached that point yet. At least she was correct, but she only mockingly guessed, "What, was it the other way around? You were using me as a substitute for _her_?"

She threw that suggestion out so scornfully that it was his pleasure to finally admit, "Actually, yes!" – and it felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. Was it the satisfaction of hurting her with that confession? Possibly… But most of it was probably the relief of finally divulging a secret.

Carol, however, received only the brutal dose of understanding that came with the revelation. She inhaled sharply, sounding almost like she was hissing. Clenching her hands into tight fists, she whimpered, "So your fiancée was right? You're in _love_ with her?"

"_Oui_," he stated simply. That was really all that needed to be said.

That one simple word was absorbed, and in an instant it triggered more tears to flow. For once the girl didn't engage in any irrational justifications or denial – she just wailed, "But... but… _How?_"

"Er – well," Remy started to mutter, but it had seemingly been a rhetorical question. The girl apparently didn't expect an answer, because she then stomped over to Rogue's dresser, grabbed a perfume bottle, and hurled it against the wall.

She watched it smash into pieces, a shower of glass shards raining down to the carpet as she shrieked, "That bitch has stolen _everything_ from me!" She then grabbed a hairbrush and threw it into the mirror, causing a crack to radiate through it. "She's taken my _life_…" Next to be flung across the room was Rogue's makeup. "She's taken my _body_…" Then a book flew overhead. "And now she's taken the man I love!" She punctuated the cry by heaving a chair at him, which barely missed him and fell to the floor with a thud.

Now this was more the violent reaction he had been anticipating! But that still didn't stop the Cajun from trying to calm her down. "Carol, listen t' me!" he shouted over the pandemonium she was causing. "She didn't steal me from y'! It was Rogue I saw first, it was _her_ I was interested in from de beginnin'!"

"How can you tell me that? What about everything we had?" she exclaimed, rushing over to him and distraughtly clutching the front of his shirt.

"We didn't have anythin'," he insisted firmly. It was harsh, but she needed to understand that, once and for all. The scent of Rogue's spilt perfume was now permeating the room, with the smell of magnolias prompting memories of her to float through his mind and harden his resolve.

"Are… Are you saying I meant nothing to you? That this was only some sort of game or something because you saw her _first_?" she cried shrilly, as she started to shake him desperately.

He sighed, and fully acknowledged how much of a heel he had been. "I suppose y' could put it dat way… I don't really know what else t' say, Carol – I'm sorry, but I never loved y'."

She froze at that, silently staring at him with wide, wounded eyes. It seemed reality had finally sunk in… Dropping her hands to her sides, she weakly whispered, "So that's it? You're saying it was all a sham and we're over, just like that?"

"I'm so sorry," he apologized, and was surprised to find it sincere. He despised the girl, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her now – after all, his callous actions had brought this about, and he tried to make her see that. "It's _all_ my fault, an' y' _should_ be mad at me. It started out as a stupid idea on my part, an' I never intended it t' go dis far, but I need y' t' know dat I take full responsibility f'r it – it's nobody's fault but my own."

Now, would she accept that, and his implications that she shouldn't blame Rogue? He hadn't wanted to mention her explicitly, so as not to give Carol any ideas, but she didn't appear to even be listening. She remained standing stock-still, as if in shock – the only sign of awareness she gave were the tears that continued to stream down her cheeks.

Remy reached out a hand and placed it lightly on her shoulder, and instantly she was jerked back to the real world. "Don't," she murmured miserably, stepping away from him.

"Carol –"

"Don't!" she shrieked, flinging her arm out towards the door. "Leave, just leave! It's over, exactly like you wanted – it's all over, just get out of here…"

With that she flung herself on the bed, and her shoulders shook with harsh sobs. The thief briefly contemplated trying to comfort her somehow, but decided against it. Besides, what else could he say? He would probably only make things worse. Instead, he silently exited the room, closing the door on her – and more importantly, their relationship.

He had almost expected a crowd to be waiting out in the hall, no doubt drawn by the screams and shatters, but luckily the corridor was empty – and Remy spared a second to send a brief thank-you to whoever had decided to build the place with thick walls. At least he wouldn't have to explain things to the others… Not yet, at least.

There were a few things he probably should have been considering. One such curiosity was Carol's reaction to the whole fiasco – while one certainly couldn't describe her as taking their break up _well_, she hadn't really retaliated all that much, as he would have expected. Then again, she had seemed to be in a fair amount of shock… He found himself hoping it would last for a while. Another potential issue was him no longer being on good terms with her in front of the others – would they notice? What sort of reason could he attribute that to?

But honestly, none of that worried him very much right then – because it was over, at last! He had done it, he had _finally_ dumped her, and he was overjoyed! Nothing could dampen his spirits at that moment, he felt like he was floating down the hallway on cloud nine. No uncertainties could invade his mind and sully his elation.

He was _free_… And while the cautious part of his brain warned not to get too complacent, he couldn't help but think that this was it, this was what he'd been waiting for – now there was nothing left standing in the way of him and Rogue being together…

* * *

Well, look at that! Both blondes seem to be out of the picture now. Is it smooth sailing ahead for our favourite Cajun? I think you all know the answer to that…

**Next chapter** – Remy still has to endure Carol for the rest of the month, and he attempts some damage control…

Guess what, folks? We're nearing the oh-so-dramatic climax! I'm certainly excited to write it, and I'm sure you're eager to read it – so why not motivate me by reviewing? It'll help everybody out! ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	28. Confrontations

**Disclaimer:** I'll take credit for the idea, but sadly not for the characters…

**A/N:** Oh where, oh where have my reviewers gone, oh where oh where can they be? Hmm, last chapter was the least-reviewed one yet. A bit surprising, considering I thought you'd all be happier that Remy had finally ended things with She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named… Well, hopefully this somewhat quick update, along with this heartfelt plea, will boost those numbers a bit? ;)

Anyhoo, the uber drama is right around the corner. Enjoy!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 28 – Confrontations**

_**March 2006**_

He had been apprehensive about attending dinner that evening, right after the breakup – would it consist of hateful glares and insults, or descend into something even worse? The former he could handle, the latter… Well, he didn't want to discover what that could entail. Neither option particularly appealed to him, but Remy reasoned that it would be best to put in an appearance – if Carol decided to do something utterly stupid like blurt out what had passed between them, he had to be their to smooth things over, didn't he?

So he slowly made his way to the dining room, as if he were instead marching towards the gallows. Although depending on what exactly would happen, he might very well have been… Sitting down, Remy glanced at the empty chair beside him. It was the only free spot left. That would have pleased Carol only yesterday, since she'd always tried her hardest to grab the seat closest to him – now how would she react to being forced to endure the meal beside him?

It turned out he needn't have worried about it, because the girl never showed. "Carol says she's not feeling well," Jean announced after returning from checking up on her friend. Most of the table continued on uninterrupted in their loud chatter – only the redhead appeared to be concerned, taking her seat once more worriedly remarking, "She sounded upset…"

It was almost comical how Kitty and Logan's heads shot up instantly at that, and their stares honed in on Remy. Luckily nobody else noticed their suspicious actions aside from him, but when he didn't react to them, Kitty turned to Jean and asked, "Did she say what was wrong?"

"No, she said everything was fine," the girl replied. "Maybe she didn't want to talk about it."

"Couldn't you just have read her mind or something?" Kitty continued to pry, obviously guessing that more than merely a lack of appetite was preventing the other mutant from coming downstairs.

"I wouldn't do that to a friend!" Jean exclaimed, shaking her head disapprovingly and returning to her meal.

The thief wanted to let out a sigh of relief at that. At first he wouldn't have thought it easy to keep secrets in a house with two powerful telepaths, but luckily they felt morally bound by their morals and ethics. Too bad he couldn't have discovered any of his own earlier… But now wasn't the time for regrets, he had to stay sharp. Keeping his head down, Remy focused on his plate like it was the most fascinating thing in the world, but he was still able to feel Wolverine and Shadowcat eyeing him curiously. He knew Kitty was dieing to talk to him and find out the latest scoop, and it would probably be prudent to keep her up to date on the latest developments…

He almost laughed out loud at how anxious she was for the meal to end, fiddling with her utensils impatiently. Unfortunately, Logan held much more authority than the resident gossip-queen. Once dinner was over, he stood from his seat and grunted, "Gumbo, you're comin' with me – I got a new Danger Room run that needs testin', and you're gonna be the lab rat."

The thief gulped, but wasn't quite sure why. After all, what harm would come from the Canuck's interrogations? He only had good news to impart – surely the man would be happy that things were finally over with Carol Danvers! Perhaps it was the fact that Logan always seemed all too eager to skewer him. Yes, that was probably it… It wasn't the most comforting of circumstances, but he collected himself and followed the older man towards the elevator to the sublevels, anticipating the inevitable confrontation.

It came sooner than expected. Once the doors slid shut and they were out of view of the other residents, any pretense was dropped. There was no changing into training outfits or pretending to run a session – Logan shoved Remy into the back wall of the elevator, the railing digging painfully into his back, and demanded, "Start talkin', bub."

He responded with a self-satisfied grin. "Well, let's just say dat I won't be needin' y'r help t' keep me away from Carol anymore."

Wolverine cocked a bushy eyebrow. "What, ya told her to lay off? Just like that?" he queried suspiciously, not accepting it would have been so simple.

He was right, of course – it had been anything but easy. But Remy couldn't very well mention anything about Belle's untimely arrival and revelations! As if the feral mutant hadn't been angry enough when he'd thought the Cajun was stringing both Rogue and Carol along – he didn't want to find out what his reaction would be to having a fiancée in the mix as well…

The elevator came to a stop, reaching the mansion's lower levels and opening the door with a pleasant ping. Logan dragged the boy out none too gently, now shoving him up against the metal wall adjacent to the lift. No, if he was this aggressive without even being fully apprised of the sleazy stunts he'd pulled, there was absolutely no way the thief would ever survive after uttering the word 'fiancée'.

Yet he couldn't exactly lie either, knowing the man's enhanced senses would probably sniff out the stench of deceit wafting off him. So, that left only the truth – or at least, the truth told with a little creative omission. "I finally had enough o' Carol's attention," Remy explained sincerely, tilting his chin up in a way that seemed to invite Logan to challenge his statement. "She was already suspicious o' me spendin' time wit' Rogue, so I told her straight out dat I didn't have any feelin's f'r her. She obviously didn't take it too well – she's hurt an' pissed, an' I doubt she'll want t' be anywhere near me."

Logan tried his best not to look too pleased at that, but failed (not that the thief could blame him). However, the satisfaction was wiped out a second later by a hard look. "Don't think I'll be congratulatin' ya for this, Gumbo," the man grunted, fixing the younger mutant with a glare. "I'm glad ya fixed the mess ya caused, but it shoulda never happened in the first place."

He straightened up and honestly acknowledged, "I know dat, an' I'm sorry f'r it. But y' have t' know dat I put up wit' her f'r Rogue's sake, so Carol wouldn't take it out on her if she found out where my feelin's really lay."

As always, concern for Rogue's wellbeing was the key to winning over the Wolverine. His protective instinct towards the girl was initiated and he nodded grudgingly, but then scowled. "I don't even wanna think about that! I know she has better sense than to settle for the likes of ya, Gumbo. An' I won't be helpin' ya with her, so don't even ask!"

Remy smirked. "_Homme_, what makes y' t'ink I need any help wit' ma _chère_?"

Logan growled, not liking those implications one bit. He didn't dignify that question with a response, instead deciding to show his displeasure in another fashion. Stepping back, he hiked a thumb towards the locker room. "All right, that's it. Get in there an' change, we've still got that test to run."

The thief stared at him blankly. "_Quoi_?"

Now it was the Canadian's turn to smirk. "Ya didn't think I was makin' up the trainin' run, did ya? Suit up an' get in there!"

Oh… So it really hadn't been pretense. He sighed, and readied himself for another round of being Wolverine's whipping boy – although if it saved him from becoming a Cajun shish kebob and helped clear the path to Rogue, then perhaps it was all worth it.

- X -

He crawled into bed much later that night, joints sore and muscles aching. _Dieu_, if that kind of torture was how Wolverine expressed his pleasure at something, he was glad he'd never pissed the man off more than he had. Too tired to bother changing into his pyjamas, Remy flopped on top of his blankets and tried to doze off.

However, mere minutes later the silence was broken by a sharp whisper. "Psst! Remy, are you awake? Remy!"

He groaned. He should have known that Kitty wouldn't want to wait any longer to find out about the most recent turn of events… Was being patient unheard of? Although he supposed he wasn't one to talk, as he had certainly been nothing of the sort when waiting for his troubles to be sorted out… Sighing, he grumpily replied, "I'm up, _petite_."

She took that as an invitation and phased completely into his room, moving over to his bed and poking him in the arm. "Remy, come on! We need to talk, you absolutely have to tell me what happened with Carol!"

"It can't wait 'til mornin'?" he whined, finding the soft mattress much too comfortable to contemplate moving.

"No, it can't!" Shadowcat insisted, her voice rising in volume as she quickly grew more agitated.

"Shh! Keep it down," he murmured, his face burrowing deeper into a pillow. "We wouldn't want anybody t' t'ink y're payin' dis here Cajun a midnight visit, henh? What would de Tin Man t'ink?"

He still hadn't opened his eyes, and thus didn't see her own narrow in annoyance. Slapping a hand onto his back and activating her powers, she phased him through his bed until he landed painfully on the floor underneath it with a thud. "_Merde_," he groaned, all comfort long gone.

"Feeling more chatty now?" she shot at him, and her impatiently tapping foot was right at Remy's eye level.

"Definitely," he quickly agreed, crawling out from under his bed before she decided to phase him somewhere more difficult to extract himself from. Judging by the severe look on her face, such a drastic step was very much a possibility – although the threat seemed tempered by the pink nightclothes she wore (and the fact that they were covered in little hearts didn't help the intimidating image). Still, deciding that apologizing would perhaps be the best way to start things off, the thief began, "_Desolé, petite_. I had a hellish session wit' Wolvie, an' I don't feel much like a long conversation."

Her harsh demeanour disappeared instantly as she winced in sympathy, knowing how rough Logan could get sometimes (or rather, she knew how rough he got with _her_, which was really a walk in the park in comparison to what he'd put the Cajun through). "Ouch… Sorry about that. I didn't mean to wake you or anything, but I _need_ to know what's up with you and Carol! Something happened, right? That's why she didn't come to dinner? And a pissed Carol could only mean one thing – _please_ tell me she's started hating your guts!"

He had to let out a sardonic laugh at that before gingerly lowering himself to sit down on the bed once more. It still hadn't ceased to amaze him that his fate rested on getting a _femme_ to hate him, the exact opposite effect that he'd spent years perfecting with his charm and suaveness. He may not have been as practiced in that specific field, but at least it had finally been accomplished. "_Oui_, it's done," he nodded, watching Kitty light up at his corroboration. "We're finally over."

"That's _great_!" the girl exclaimed in a bizarre cross between a shriek and a whisper, and then started bouncing up and down in excitement. "I can't believe you finally pulled it off! But _how_? I was beginning to think you'd _never_ get rid of her!"

"Glad t' see y' had such faith in me," Remy sniffed, clutching at his heart in mock-pain. When the other mutant merely rolled her eyes, he adopted a more serious countenance and somewhat sheepishly corrected, "But actually… It wasn't really all my doin'."

She paused in her delighted antics and gazed at him worriedly. "Uh oh… What does that mean?"

He was about to make another crack at her lack of confidence in him, but realized that if anybody had a reason to think things would only get worse, it was Kitty – the one who'd been privy to all of his spectacular screw-ups. Although could this latest digression from the plans really be considered negative? Yes, the situation hadn't been wrapped up as nicely as he would have liked, but the desired result _had _been achieved, hadn't it?

At least, that was what Remy tried to focus on as he reluctantly (and as quickly as possible) admitted, "Well, see… It turns out dat Belladonna hadn't left town like I thought. She ran int' Carol an' managed t' figure out what was goin' on between us, so she spilled de beans an' told Carol about me an' Rogue. Dere really wasn't any way I could spin it, so I finally gave up an' confessed my feelin's f'r Rogue an' dat I never loved her. So yeah, I'm pretty sure y' could classify her as hatin' my guts now!"

Kitty took in his garbled words, and stood there a few seconds blinking in shock as she attempted to process them. "Woah… I'm living in a soap opera…" Then she shook her head and focused on more important aspects. "Remy, this might not be a good thing! Wasn't the whole point to break up with Carol in a way that wouldn't cause her to blame Rogue?"

The thief grimaced, ducking his head. "I know, I know, but dat wasn't really possible! My secrets were out an' I saw de chance t' finally finish t'ings, so I took it! It's not like I didn't try – I focused on how it was all _my_ doin', not Rogue's. Y' don't t'ink Carol will want revenge on me instead?" he queried hopefully (and again, was struck by the absolute bizarreness of actually welcoming retribution).

The girl's brow furrowed as she analyzed the possibilities. "Er, no offense, but I _hope_ she takes her anger out on you – "

"None taken," Remy shrugged nonchalantly.

"– but she might not stop there! I mean, think about it – all of a sudden her world is torn apart, and Rogue's at the centre of it yet again! I'm sure you've gotten a taste of how much she dislikes Rogue, but you should've seen how furious she was when she first woke up in her body – Carol absolutely _hates_ her, and I don't think it'll be a stretch to see some of that rage directed her way!" Kitty spouted fearfully, starting to pace up and down the floor.

He didn't even want to consider such possibilities… He couldn't, not after the hell he'd gone through to get this far, so he desperately began rationalizing. "Let's t'ink about dis logically, henh? I put all de blame on my shoulders, an' Carol knows dis is all my fault," he reasoned anxiously.

However, Kitty only gave a sad little laugh and shook her head wearily. "I think you're underestimating the emotions a heartbroken girl feels, Remy – logic has absolutely nothing to do with it." Her declaration sunk in and increased his already growing sense of unease, but before he could even begin to deliberate on their options, she abruptly halted her pacing and pointed at him. "Okay, here's what you're going to do – we need some damage control!"

The Cajun blinked in confusion. "What do y' mean?" Personally, he wasn't sure there would be any way to lessen the harm that had already been done.

Obviously Kitty didn't see it that way. She resolutely stated, "You have to go talk to Carol and beg for forgiveness."

"_Quoi_!" he cried, thoroughly disbelieving. He couldn't have really heard that, she didn't mean it…

"You heard me! You _need_ to do it, trust me."

Well, to be fair, she hadn't steered him wrong yet… "But why? What good'll it do?" he questioned earnestly. "Knowin' my luck, she'll _actually_ forgive me an' take me back!" After all the stress and effort he'd gone through to finally get rid of Carol, he wasn't about to take the chance that she'd somehow want to get back together! And with the endless drama that had occurred between him and the three girls, it certainly seemed possible. Lady Luck had grown weary of his tomcatting and decided to teach him a lesson…

"Well, you'll have to make it clear that getting back together isn't what you're there for," Kitty grit her teeth and spelled out, seemingly frustrated with Remy's lack of cooperation. "You've got to apologize _sincerely_ for having hurt her! Try to play up the fact that people's feelings change and that it's nothing against her personally. You know, all those clichés! Stuff like 'it just wasn't working out', or 'it's not you, it's me'."

"An' y' want me t' be sincere wit' all dat?" he asked amazedly. He was an expert as stretching the truth, but that was pushing it. Despite having fed her countless lies before, he wondered if he'd even be able to keep a straight face when uttering those…

"Ooh, just do it!" she shouted, stomping her foot impatiently. They both winced and held their breath following the noise, hoping it hadn't carried out of the room, but nobody yelled for them to keep it down or came to the door. Lowering her voice, Shadowcat continued to fervently seethe, "You've been great at lying so far and it's already saved your ass more times than I can count, so suck it up and do it one more time!"

Remy reeled a bit from her unexpected outburst. "Woah, easy dere, _petite_! I can try, but I still don't see de point…"

"The point _is_ that your groveling just may gain you some sympathy, or pity, or whatever!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air exasperatedly. "It doesn't really matter at this point, as long as _something_ manages to ease her temper a bit."

He grimaced. "It's a long shot…" He probably had better odds of winning the lottery, or getting struck by lightning… Or both, at the same time.

"I know that! But you have to _try_ – because you and I both know what might happen if we let Carol's anger stew!" Kitty beseeched him, her wide eyes staring at him imploringly.

As he took her in, he was suddenly struck by the full extent of how much she cared about her best friend, and the lengths she was willing to go to protect her. He was eternally grateful his _chère_ had somebody looking out for her like that… especially since the thief's own doings were mostly what she needed protection from. That thought was sobering. He had done so much to hurt her already, and there was the potential for yet more harm to be done… He _had_ to try and prevent that, no matter how unpleasant a task it would be for him.

"You're right," he finally consented, sighing despairingly. It seemed like a poor bet… But then again, he was horrible at predicting what Carol would do. When he had tried to make her jealous, she had only laughed. When he had tried to ignore her, she only got clingier. When he had dropped the engagement bomb, she hadn't dumped him. If that trend continued, then expecting the apology to backfire would only ensure it would work! …Or at least, that's what he would be praying for.

In the meantime, at least Kitty seemed placated. "Good," she nodded firmly, crossing her arms in a way that signaled any and all debate on the matter was closed. "You better get on it, and soon! We really don't want her to wallow in all that anger for too long…"

"Definitely," he agreed. The less time the girl had to formulate and plot any plans for revenge, the better! "I'll talk t' her as soon as I can…" But of course, there was no way he was going to face her right away, with the breakup still fresh in her mind from mere hours before and all her emotions running rampant. It needed some time to settle in, didn't it?

…Or rather, that was what he tried to tell himself, since he was already dreading the prospect of facing Carol again. What would she do – grovel and plead at his feet for him to change his mind and take her back, or blow her top and throw him out the window? He wasn't especially keen on either option, but supposed he would have to find out eventually.

Shadowcat must have sensed his reluctance, because she stepped forward and harshly poked a finger into his chest. "It better be _very_ soon, Gambit," she insisted firmly. "Because if anything happens to Rogue because of what you did to Carol, I swear you'll regret it! Me phasing you through your bed earlier? The next time I'll phase out your internal organs instead!"

At one time Remy thought it was cute how Kitty tried to take pointers from Rogue when acting all threatening – now he could see that the lessons had paid off. Her face was deadly serious, her eyes were chilly and resolute. All he could do was gulp and nod nervously.

"Great!" she then chirped merrily, an abrupt about-face from her menacing manner mere moments before. "Make sure you let me know what happens, okay? Good night!" And with that, she trotted out of the room.

He sat there stunned for a good while after she left. Finally he shook his head, the fatigue from earlier returning and overwhelming him. He threw himself spread-eagle over his mattress and lay there, hoping sleep would come quickly. He would certainly need a good night's rest in preparation for the confrontation that would soon be occurring…

- X -

_**A few days later…**_

It had taken him more time than he would have thought to work up the courage to face her, even though he told himself he was merely giving her some much needed space. And then he had spent a bit longer trying to plan out and practice some sort of speech he could deliver that would tug at the appropriate heartstrings… And in addition to all of that, he had taken quite a while to brace himself and prepare for the worst…

But Kitty continued to harass him, a few of the others had shot him suspicious looks when Carol had acted cold and detached to him in their team training sessions, and the days were rapidly passing by. He simply had to get it over with, before somebody put two and two together or before the girl finally buckled under her inner turmoil and snapped.

However, she really didn't seem to be taking things that badly. Well, in Remy's meager opinion – but what did he really know about heartbroken girls? He usually wasn't one to stick around and witness his aftermath. But still, her actions weren't overly melodramatic and exaggerated like he would have expected. When he had run into her once in the kitchen, and during the Danger Room runs, she barely glanced at him and didn't say a word. Surely she was still mad, but she hadn't been hysterical or brimming with tears… Although to be fair, he couldn't really judge her state of mind accurately, since she spent most of her days ensconced in her room, rarely coming out and never keeping company (even Jean, who was growing worried about her friend).

Well, at least the girl's hermit-like existence meant he knew where to find her. Wandering through the thankfully empty hallways (if she started screaming at the top of her lungs, which he wasn't ruling out, at least there would be nobody around to hear!), he paused when he reached her room. Taking a deep breath, he quickly rapped on the door before he could talk himself out of it.

He waited, but she didn't answer.

The Cajun couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that the talk could be postponed, yet at the same time he wanted to get it over with. He forced his fist up to knock again. Again, there was no acknowledgement from inside.

Why hadn't she answered? "Carol?" he called out, assuming his voice would elicit a reaction from her (most likely a negative one).

Still nothing.

He called her name once more, this time placing his ear against the door and listening carefully for any sort of noise. He didn't hear a thing.

Remy frowned. Was she even in there at all? It didn't seem like it – he was sure his voice would've prompted an insult or a demand to leave her alone, at the very least. But where else would she be? She had been shunning interaction with everybody in the Institute, and he was fairly sure she hadn't left the mansion either…

Worry began to blossom in his stomach, but he had no idea why. All he knew was that something felt wrong somehow…

Glancing up and down the corridor, he checked to make sure the coast was clear before reaching out and turning the doorknob. The thief entered the girl's room as silently as a shadow, closing the door behind him and then peering about.

…There was nobody there.

His brow furrowed as he looked around, his trained eyes taking in the minute details. Piles of clothes lay haphazardly on the floor, as if they had been thrown while looking through the dresser and closet… Why had she been worrying about what to wear? Then he noticed the curtains around the balcony were slightly askew, and wandered over. Extending a hand to try the balcony door, he found it unlocked. She'd probably exited through there, leaving it open for a way back in later.

So where had she gone? Remy found himself insanely curious. That, coupled with the fact that his earlier feeling of unease still hadn't faded, prompted him to draw out the chair beside the desk and seat himself in it. He had nothing else to do, so he decided to wait.

And wait he did. It was funny how a short while ago he had wanted to be anywhere else, but now he craved answers enough to sit still and linger for hours – and it was indeed hours. He played multiple games of every version of Solitaire he knew as the hands on the clock ticked away, and soon darkness fell outside. Finally he gave up and decided to amuse himself by snooping around instead. Frankly, he was surprised he had withheld the urge that long.

The thief told himself that it was only fair, since Carol had snuck through his things too! But the justification wasn't particularly important, since he had his mind set on it anyway. Sitting up straighter from the slouching position he'd drooped down to, the young mutant began by opening a few drawers in the desk. The first one he checked appeared to be Rogue's, judging from a few papers covered with her handwriting and some novels he suspected Carol would never crack open. He didn't explore any further however, knowing Rogue wouldn't be too happy about that.

He guessed the other half would probably contain Carol's things, and he was right. He rifled through it, but there wasn't anything especially interesting – some stationery, a pile of magazines (ranging from teenybopper pin-ups to _Cosmo_), a few CDs… Still, he quickly went through everything anyway, thinking perhaps he would get lucky and find a diary or journal, or something of the sort… But no such luck.

Too bad, getting some secret insight into her innermost thoughts would've been convenient… But who was to say that she didn't keep a diary hidden somewhere else? So Remy moved on from the desk to the dresser, and began to nose around anew. Like he had been taught, he started at the bottom and worked his way up. There was nothing except for clothes, but his interest was piqued when he reached the end – he couldn't help but grin when he opened the top drawer and found it full of lingerie and various other unmentionables.

Poking through it, the boy had to kick himself for not having checked it out before. There were some _very_ intriguing items inside… Although, as a teeny tiny pink thong hung from his finger, he realized that if he'd known that Carol had been wearing those types of things underneath her clothes when she'd been throwing herself at him, it surely would've made him even more hard-pressed to resist her… So maybe it was all for the best.

While he examined a pair of black garters (hoping that Rogue had a pair too), he heard a faint rustling outside. With superhuman speed he quickly dropped the undergarments back into place and soundlessly shut the drawer, whirling around in time to see Carol entering the room from her balcony. She didn't notice him at first, seemingly preoccupied with her thoughts as a tiny smile danced across her face. Well, that was something, Remy thought – her being in a good mood seemed like a positive sign, didn't it?

He stood still and watched as she shut the door behind her, then shrugged off her cream-coloured pea coat. Underneath she had a short skirt and a ruffled shirt, and her hands reached for its hem as she began to pull it up. Deciding he should announce his presence before she undressed (although a part of him protested), Remy cleared his throat. It caused Carol to give a shriek, and she spun around and finally became aware of him standing in the darkness across the room.

The smile that had been playing across her lips faded. "What are you doing here!" she hissed, dropping her hands to her hips and glaring at him frostily.

He raised his own hands in a surrendering gesture. "Easy, Carol," he told her gently. "I had somethin' t' say, but y' weren't here. Where'd y' go?"

"How is that any of your business?" she challenged him, tilting her chin up insolently.

"It's not," he casually shrugged, even though he wanted to shout out that where she went and what she did in Rogue's body was very much something he had an interest in – but he reminded himself that he wanted to divert her attention away from Rogue as much as possible. "Just curious."

"Well, you shouldn't be – I'm not your girlfriend anymore, remember? You don't get to worry about where I go anymore, and I wanted to go out," she told him with a self-satisfied smirk, as if the fact that she was no longer moping about in her room was something he should be upset about.

But of course, her getting over him was exactly what he wanted – and her snippiness towards him gave him a further sense of relief that the impending conversation would perhaps not end in reconciliation. Feeling slightly more confident, he took a tentative step towards her and politely asked, "Well, now dat y're back, can we talk?"

She glanced away from him and sniffed. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Okay den, y' don't have t' talk – just listen."

"Why? What else could you possibly have to say?" she abruptly burst out, throwing her hands up into the air in aggravation. "Want to give me a few more reasons why I'm not good enough for you? Got a list of why Rogue's somehow better than me?"

The bitterness was radiating out from her in waves. He would have to really lay it on thick to try and alleviate it… "Carol, it was never about y' not bein' good enough!" he insisted, shaking his head adamantly.

"Oh really?" she scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest petulantly. "Then why didn't you want to be with me?"

"It had nothin' t' do with y'," he lied through his teeth. "It was all a dumb game on my part, an' I didn't mean t' let it get dis far… So I wanted t' apologize f'r what I put y' through. Y' didn't deserve it… Y' deserve somebody better den me." Out of all the fibs and falsehoods he had told her, that one made him feel the sleaziest – after all, he wouldn't wish her on anybody. Of course, he doubted anybody would actually be able to put up with her…

She stared at him coldly. "That's it? You wanted to apologize?" She didn't seem to be impressed or moved by his declarations, and Remy had a sinking feeling that he wasn't being particularly convincing.

"_Oui_. It's eatin' me up inside, Carol – y' have t' know how badly I feel about all dis!" he told her, trying to be as earnest as he could, and focusing on his culpability. "I know de blame lands completely on my shoulders, an' I accept dat – but I wanted y' t' know dat I'm sorry, an' if dere's anythin' I can do t' make up f'r what I did, please let me know."

She kept her steady gaze on him, and for a moment Remy though he could see her strong front fade, but the next second that brief look of hurt had disappeared under a façade of callousness. "Anything you can do? Gee, can you turn back time and take back all the lies you fed me? Or how about going back and stopping me from getting stuck in this damn body in the first place?"

The girl was getting more and more livid, and the Cajun quickly attempted to calm her down. "Carol, please –"

"No, you can't, can you!" she continued to rant, storming up to him and poking him firmly in the chest. "You say you're sorry, but you have _no_ clue what I'm going through! You're not the heartbroken one here, are you? I wish you knew how it felt!"

That was what she wanted? Well, it was something he wasn't willing to acquiesce to. He opened his mouth to articulate another apology, since that was all he really had to offer, but she would have none of it. "Get out of here," she spat out, shoving him towards the door. "I don't want to see you right now! I don't care how sorry you say you are – what you did hurt me, and I'm not going to forgive you just like that! I can barely stand to _look_ at you… So just leave me alone!"

And with that Remy found himself forcefully ejected out into the hallway, the door slammed behind him. Sighing, he picked himself up from where he'd landed and walked dejectedly back to his room, not very pleased with the outcome of their little chat. So she was angry, he could understand that… But he hadn't succeeded in lessening her rage. Perhaps it would simply take a bit more time? He very much hoped so.

- X -

**_A few weeks later…_**

It was an odd reversal of roles, now that he thought about it. Mere weeks ago it was he who had done everything in his power to avoid Carol, but now it seemed things were the other way around. While the girl still spent the majority of time moping about in her room, the times she did emerge she avoided him like the plague.

Even more ionic was that Remy actually wanted to talk to her. Kitty urged him to keep trying with his attempts at apologizing, and he had agreed with the necessity of it. Although it went against his devil-may-care philosophy in life, when Rogue was concerned he figured it was better to be safe than sorry. If he could only manage to convey to Carol that the other girl had played no part in his philandering…

But she never gave him the chance. Too often she was locked away in her bedroom, and the few times he had gone to visit (or sneak in, technically), she had been gone again. However, since she had finally begun venturing forth around the rest of the mansion, he had assumed he would be able to corner her like she had always managed to do with him – but no such luck.

The Cajun tried to look on the bright side – at least her public appearances managed to quell some of the suspicions that has arisen after he had broken up with her. Following that she had scarcely shown her face, and on the rare occasions she did she acted aloof towards him. Needless to say, assumptions that something had been going on between them had sprouted up – but somehow she had brushed away Xavier's concerns and put on a happy act for the rest of the students, and things had appeared to be back to normal.

Well, aside from the fact that she barely looked at him anymore, didn't speak to him at all, and ran in the opposite direction when she saw him coming.

"What did you expect?" Kitty had asked him. "She's a girl with a broken heart – do you think she'd constantly want to see you and be reminded of all her pain?"

"Careful, _petite_," he'd joked. "Y're almost soundin' like y' have sympathy f'r her!"

"Hardly," she had scoffed in return. "I'm only explaining it to you. Geez, for somebody supposedly so good with women, you don't really know a lot about them, do you?"

At one point Remy had thought he had, but recent events made him question that self-assessment. Though he supposed he did understand what Kitty was trying to say, and what Carol was doing – why should she have her heartache constantly rubbed in her face when she could just as easily ignore all reminders of it? While he really wasn't trying to flaunt his presence at her, he _did_ need to talk to her. She hadn't cooperated, and now it was the last day of the month – his last chance to secure some semblance of security for Rogue.

He tried to take comfort in the fact that Carol had actually seemed somewhat happier recently… That was to say, she wasn't necessarily the same rainbows-and-sunshine girl she'd been when she'd been basking in his supposed affections, but she hadn't been overly bleak and gloomy either. She'd been smiling and laughing more often lately, and when nobody was watching, sometimes even looking like she hadn't a care in the world… And that was a positive sign, right? Perhaps time had helped heal some of her wounds…

Which made Remy reconsider his final attempt to go and plead with her. What if it only made things worse? If she had indeed started to move beyond their breakup, would his insistence on revisiting it reverse all the progress she had made? That was the last thing he wanted…

But then he thought about Rogue, and decided it was a gambit he had to take.

Evening had fallen a few hours ago, but the thief made his way to Carol's rooms in hopes she was still awake. The odds were in his favour, since he knew that she liked to prolong her time in Rogue's body as long as possible, and that often meant staying awake as late as she could before her switches. When he knocked on her door and heard her shuffling about inside, he knew he'd been correct in his assumption.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"It's me," he replied, and wondered if she would even open the door after hearing his voice.

She did, but only a crack. Glaring out at him, she grit out, "What do you want now? I was about to go to bed."

He wasn't going to comment on her lie, but he caught a glimpse of her pyjamas. Perhaps she was telling the truth? No matter. "I have somethin' I need t' say before y'r switch – can y' please listen t' me f'r a second?" he pressed.

Carol smirked and leaned against the door jamb. "Let me guess – you want to apologize again? Save it, I don't want to hear it."

"But Carol –"

"No!" she insisted, straightening up and gripping the doorknob with more strength, bending the metal slightly out of shape. "Nothing you can say can make it okay, so I don't even want to hear you try. I've had _enough_. Now leave, I'm going to bed."

And with that vehement declaration, she slammed the door in Remy's face.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and then turned to head back down the hallway. His last chance and he hadn't even had time to get all the words out…

"Didn't go so well, huh?"

He jumped back a few steps, startled by the sudden voice – but it was only Kitty, standing there when he turned the corner. "_Dieu_, y' scared me!" That wasn't good, him not having noticed her. With his training, he should have detected her presence... But the recent state of affairs had been driving him to distraction.

"Sorry, I was just walking by and wanted to know what happened!" she explained, appearing slightly guilty over shocking him, but her eagerness for information overshadowed that.

"Just walkin' by, or waitin' f'r me t' go talk t' her?" he guessed slyly.

She bit her lip sheepishly. "Oh, fine, I was waiting! I figured you'd come see her one more time, and I wanted to be close by. So? What happened?"

"Y' didn't hear us?" he queried. Carol's last shout and the crash of her door had been fairly loud – what if somebody had managed to listen in?

But Kitty's answer placated him somewhat. "No, I was only watching you," she shook her head. "I couldn't really make out anything you were saying."

He sighed in relief, but then remembered that the results he had been pursuing weren't the ones he'd obtained. Grimacing, he admitted, "She wouldn't even hear me out."

The young girl scowled as well. "Damn it," she quietly cursed. "Now what?"

"Now nothin'," he was loath to conclude. "What more can we do? I made my point as best I could – she either believes me or not, dere's probably not much else I can do t' convince her. But hey, she's seemed happier lately, henh? Maybe she's finally gettin' over it, an' dere won't be any more problems."

Kitty's expression seemed dubious. "I guess…"

"Let's look on de bright side – at least I can finally tell Rogue dat Carol an' I are done!" he crowed, unable to prevent a smile breaking out at the thought of the look on her face when he finally divulged the latest happenings.

She playfully cocked a brow in his direction. "I thought looking on the bright side was _my_ job."

"Didn't mean t' step on y'r toes," he shot back, but then they both grinned widely, glad something positive could finally be imparted to Rogue.

"Step on them as much as you want – whatever will get you through to tomorrow!" Kitty exclaimed. She then continued on in a softer tone, "She'll be so happy to learn about what happened… And it's about time she got some good news, so you better tell it well!"

Remy chuckled, but the sound slowly died in his throat as the fully implications sunk in. "_Merde_, y're right…" It was the big moment! All of their hurdles were finally removed, nothing was in their way anymore! Well, surely Rogue would point out that her powers hadn't magically up and disappeared, but he wasn't counting them along with their obstacles – after all, they could be creatively worked around…

But what would she say? Would she be ecstatic, would she curb her enthusiasm? What if she changed her mind? And then what would _he_ say? Would he finally be able to convince her to give him a chance, or would he have to convince her yet again?

Kitty couldn't stifle a giggle, seeing the turmoil her innocent question had wreaked upon the other mutant's mind. "Well, you've got all night to work to practice your little speech, don't you? Good luck!" And with that she skipped down the hall, phasing through a door and out of sight.

He didn't pay much attention to her exit, instead turning over potential words and phrases in his head. It was usually so easy to speak to Rogue, he was completely and utterly comfortable around her. He hadn't practiced what to say to her for ages, not since the beginning phases of his accursed game when he'd wanted to best convey charm and sincerity. But how could he not practice the upcoming conversation? It could change everything!

Making his way to his room, Remy dropped himself onto his bed and let his thoughts run away with him. Every possible phrasing and permutation of the information was gone over, every possible reaction she could have was predicted… And yet with all that done, he didn't feel any more prepared.

Glancing over at his alarm clock, the glowing red numbers told him it was after midnight. Well, at least he had managed to kill some time… But now he still had hours to wait, and his impatience had kicked in. How could he be expected to sleep when everything would change in mere hours? It was a sobering thought, that everything he had been working towards for the past few months could soon be accomplished – or could soon be ruined.

Lying flat on his back and staring blankly up at the stucco ceiling, his thoughts continued to teeter-totter, moving from anticipation to apprehension and back again. He didn't bother attempting to catch a few winks, since he doubted it would be possible – but after a while his eyes shut of their own accord, and he began to doze off…

Only to jerk up with a start, panic flooding his mind. How could he not have considered it before? He'd been so carried away with planning what he would declare and how Rogue would respond, but what about what Carol would say? After all, she would have the first word! What would she tell Rogue when they made the switch? Would Carol blame Rogue, would she blame him? How would she spin the entire situation? Would the mere sight of the other girl enrage her? If it did, who knew what she would claim then…

He leapt to his feet and began to wear a rut in the floor while rapidly running through the possibilities, but they all came to one conclusion: there would be no way to stop it. Surely Carol would disclose something about the breakup in one way or another, and Rogue would have some sort of formed opinion in her mind before he could so much as say one word to her… If the Cajun's nerves weren't frayed enough earlier, these new worries caused them to snap.

His pacing continued until he was too exhausted to keep it up. Finally collapsing on his bed, his mind kept racing. What else could he do but hope for the best, that he would manage to convince Rogue of his sincerity and feelings like he had before? But that wasn't good enough for him. He didn't want to rely on sheer luck for this, it was too important to him…

So he kept brainstorming – yet somehow he managed to nod off, only realizing it when he groggily woke up at the crack of dawn.

It was funny how sleep could erase memories that mere hours before were firmly glued in the forefront of one's mind. Slowly blinking his eyes, at first Remy went through the motions of a regular day: he groaned, he stretched, he rubbed his face blearily before tumbling out of bed…

But then he glanced down at himself, noting that he hadn't slept in his pyjamas. Then with a start, he remembered what had distracted him last night. Straightening up instantly, the mutant glanced at the clock and to his relief saw that it was not yet six, meaning he still had time to catch Rogue before the morning training session. Not bothering to change or splash water on his face, the Cajun fled from his room and dashed down the hall. His only concession for appearance was running a hand through his hair as he paused outside of her room, but that was more of a nervous gesture than out of any concern for his grooming.

Deciding to get things over with before his mind could further awaken and fully process the gravity of the situation, Remy raised his fist and decisively rapped on the door. He heard some shuffling movements inside, and while he eagerly waited for Rogue to answer, he shifted back and forth on his feet, unable to keep still.

Finally the door inched open. That had to be considered a good start, right? "_Bonjour, chère_!" he greeted her nervously, before taking her in. He couldn't stop his gaze from raking over her appreciatively, but he frowned slightly when he noticed she was still dressed in the silky nightclothes Carol preferred. She must not have had time to change yet, he reasoned.

However, any lingering fears about Rogue's reaction then flew from his head, as his frown deepened when the girl scowled and sighed, "Isn't it a bit early in the morning for this?"

His stomach lurched, and then rolled over and died. There was no mistaking that voice, but he had to make sure – fearfully lifting his stare, Remy peered into her eyes and prayed to all that was sacred and holy that he would see green…

Instead, there was a cold, empty blue.

"_Carol_?"

* * *

Carol? Well, that can't be good! Kudos to all you who assumed she wouldn't be pushed out of the picture so easily. She's like a cockroach, ain't she? She just won't die!

**Next chapter** – Carol's obviously a teeny bit upset, and Remy and others try to make her see reason…

They say it's good to set goals for yourself, and my current one is to finish this fic before school starts up again. There are actually only a few more chapters left, so I feel I could do it – with the appropriate motivation, that is… And gosh, you know what works wonders for that? You guessed it, reviews! Want to help me out with that, then? ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	29. Revenge

**Disclaimer:** It'd be kind of hard to claim responsibility for characters created before I was even born, eh? What a pity…

**A/N:** You know, I'm quite pleased! First of all, I wrote this entire chapter all in one sitting, something I'd never managed to do before. Also, this update is up less than two weeks after my last one! I'm rather impressed with myself – here's hoping you all will be too! Enjoy this latest installment as we slowly but steadily near the end… :)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 29 – Revenge **

_**April 2006**_

It was an April Fool's Day joke, Remy thought desperately, frantically searching his mind for explanations other than the obvious – since the obvious was _not _something he wanted to consider! It couldn't be Carol standing in front of him, it was Rogue's month to have her body! He shook his head, wondering if he was hallucinating due to stress or sleep-deprivation, but then the girl spoke again and confirmed his fears.

"What are you doing here?" she frowned, voicing her annoyance in a Bostonian accent instead of the Mississippi drawl he wanted so badly to hear. "You woke me up from a really nice dream!"

The Cajun's jaw worked up and down silently before he could finally gasp out, "What de hell are _you_ doin' here? Shouldn't y' be tucked away in Rogue's mind right now?"

Oh, he _really _didn't like the devious smirk that slid over her face as she casually leaned against the door jamb. "Yeah, probably," she shrugged indifferently, as if there was no problem with the situation whatsoever.

Remy could only blink in disbelief. "What do y' mean, _probably_? It's Rogue's month, y' should be gone!"

"Well, I didn't feel like leaving yet," she replied unconcernedly, buffing her pink nails against the silk of her negligee and then admiring them coolly.

Her absolute disregard for the seriousness of her actions was rapidly bringing the other mutant's blood to a boil. Valiantly exerting considerable effort not to yell at the top of his lungs, he gritted his teeth and forced out, "It doesn't _matter_ what y' _feel_ like, it's a simple fact! Y'r month is over an' it's _Rogue's_ turn now!"

That statement finally seemed to incite some sort of reaction from her, as she straightened up, poked a finger at his chest and declared, "You know what? No! I've had enough of that, of always being second fiddle to her! She gets everything while I sit around moping and crying like a little girl, and I've decided I'm not going to take it anymore!"

"_Excusez-moi_?" he gaped, wondering where all this was coming from. Since when had Carol grown a backbone? What had happened to the heartbroken girl that sat around feeling sorry for herself? It seemed she had begun channeling those volatile emotions outward…

"Now I can kill two birds with one stone!" she sneered, jutting her chin out imperiously and no doubt reveling in his expression of utter shock. "I can punish you and Rogue for all the crap you put me through!"

Remy started at her vehement pronouncement, the words reminding him all too much of somebody, and he suddenly came to a realization. "Did Belle put y' up t' dis?" he asked angrily, his wrath suddenly split in two and directed towards both girls. The deceitfulness of it all was right up Belladonna's alley…

Yet she only looked at him oddly. "Your fiancée?" she questioned, too legitimately confused at his query to have been lying. "No, I haven't seen her since _that _day." She sniffed slightly at the memory, but then her face contorted into a scowl. "What, you think I couldn't come up with this idea on my own?"

He was genuinely surprised at her answer – while he certainly wouldn't have put this level of treachery past Carol, the scheme had the Assassin's name written all over it. It would have made sense too, answering the question of why the girl had been sneaking out... Perhaps he should have felt some sense of comfort that they hadn't been plotting together, but now wasn't the time for relief.

"I didn't t'ink y'd really take y'r petty grudge dis far," he finally spoke, and watched as her eyes narrowed.

"Petty grudge?" she echoed incredulously. "Oh please!"

"_Non_!" Remy finally erupted, moving forward and grabbing her by the wrist. "Dat's what dis is, an' it ain't right! Punish me all y' want, but leave Rogue out o' it! None o' dis was her idea."

"Yeah right!" Carol scoffed, wrenching her arm from his grasp easily. "Like I believe that. I know how she feels about me, she'd jump at the chance to make a fool of me like this!"

"How can y' say dat?" he asked in bewilderment. "Look at all she's done f'r y'! She let's y' share her body, she's wracked wit' guilt over what her powers did t' y'! She could've had y'r personality erased from her mind, but she didn't!"

"Don't make her sound like a hero!" the girl snapped, rolling her eyes in contempt. "She only keeps me around out of guilt. And don't act like her letting me share her body makes her a saint – she _owes_ me! So I'm finally taking advantage of that."

"Y' can't do dat!" he cried furiously, grabbing her violently by her bare shoulders.

She hardly flinched at his sudden movements, instead leaning in closer to him with blue eyes dancing mischievously. "Just watch me," she retorted haughtily.

Gambit released her, stumbling backwards a few steps and before pacing agitatedly. "No, y' can't! Nobody will stand f'r it. I won't let y' do dis!"

Carol only laughed superiorly, practically brimming with self-satisfaction. "Oh, and how exactly do you plan on stopping me? There's nothing you can do about it, hon! So get used to it – I'm in control now, and I really don't feel like giving it up."

He didn't have a come back for that, he realized, because she had brought up an important point – what could he do? Clearly appealing to her sense of moral decency or fairness would have no effect. Neither would focusing her anger on solely him, since Carol now knew that Rogue was his weakness… The girl was rollicking in her vindictive rage, and there were no rational means to counter it.

He wouldn't be able to do much… But that didn't mean someone wouldn't be able to! He couldn't deal with things on his own anymore, he determined grimly. He would have to inform the others – surely the Professor would be able to provide some sort of solution! Sending one last glare in Carol's direction, he took solace in the fact that her smug smile would soon be wiped off Rogue's face. Turning on his heel, the Cajun started storming out of the room, only to stop in his tracks as Kitty burst in.

"Hey Rogue!" the girl chirped, eager as usual to welcome her best friend back to the land of the living. He was afraid to see how she would react when she figured out whom she was really talking to… But she hadn't noticed anything yet, other than Remy standing there. Eyes widening, she grinned and enthusiastically squealed, "Ooh! Remy already told you the news, huh? Isn't it great that Carol's finally out of the picture? It's about time she got a clue! Now there's nothing left keeping you and Remy apart, so you better not start up with any other excuses, okay?"

Remy winced while Carol's fists clenched in fury. "Oh great, am I the only one who didn't know about your little games?"

Kitty only frowned in concern, still not quite comprehending. "He only told me so I could help him make a clean break! Besides, he had to wait until you were back to tell you…"

"A clean break?" she repeated with a sneer, and then chuckled to herself. "Hah, that's rich! You wouldn't want me making any _trouble_, right?"

"What are you talking about?" the younger girl queried in confusion, before her eyes widened. Taking a step closer and squinting carefully at the body of her friend, she then exclaimed, "Oh!" A second later it seemed to sink in that she had just insulted Carol in front of her, as she blushed and said, "Oh…" But then she must have realized that such a trivial thing hardly mattered, as there were more important issues to deal with! "Oh no!"

Had things not been so dire, Remy might have laughed at her antics. Instead he was forced to grant, "_Petite_, we have a bit of a problem… Carol's still here."

"But.. but… How! Why? What's going on?"

"Look, I'm sure Gambit can explain this to you," Carol suggested impatiently, crossing her arms . "So why don't you two leave now?"

"Dere's no way in hell we're goin' anywhere until we sort dis out!" Remy insisted.

"There's nothing to sort out!" she shot back. "I'm in control and I'm not giving it up, so you'll just have to deal with not having your precious Rogue around anymore!"

Kitty, who had been standing in shocked silence for the past few seconds, suddenly jerked back to awareness. Looking more dangerous than Remy had ever seen her before, she strode forward into Carol's face and hissed, "How _dare_ you?"

"Excuse me?" came the cynical response. "How dare _I_? What about the rest of you? How dare you all talk about me behind my back, laughing at how my boyfriend really wants somebody else? How dare you plot ways to get him to break up with me?"

Shadowcat appeared slightly flustered by those accusations, but quickly recovered. "Okay, so it wasn't the nicest thing to do, but you brought it upon yourself!" she ranted wildly, and Remy was actually rather impressed at her zeal. "You just wouldn't clue into the fact that Remy didn't want to be with you, and you can't blame people for how they feel! So he wants to be with Rogue – grow up and deal with it! You're acting like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum because they're not getting what they want!"

Carol's eyes narrowed dangerously, and the thief had the urge to pull Kitty out of harm's way before he realized that she could simply phase through whatever Ms. Marvel threw at her – and from the way she was glaring, he felt safe in betting she would at least throw a punch. The young brunette's words had seemingly struck a chord, and all the other girl could respond with was a flimsy, "Shut up! You have no right to talk to me like that!"

"And you have no right to take Rogue's body!"

"I have _every_ right, and I already have, so _tough_! You can't do anything about it!" With that stubborn announcement, she crossed her arms over her chest. As far as she was concerned, the matter was settled.

However, Remy was nowhere in agreement with that. "I wouldn't count on dat. We're not done wit' dis – we won't stop until we fix it!"

"Whatever," Carol said scornfully, not seeming the tiniest bit worried. In fact, she seemed almost bored as she sauntered over to her desk and sat down, idly tapping her fingers as if she were fed up with the proceedings. She obviously didn't believe his assertions, and as he glanced over at Shadowcat, he had to assume she didn't either.

"You know, if you'd taken more effort to apologize to her like I'd suggested, we probably wouldn't be in this mess!" she whispered harshly, frowning fiercely at him.

"I did my best, she just wouldn't listen!" he protested, but then couldn't help wondering if he could have tried harder. Of course he should have, but he never would have anticipated the girl pulling this sort of stunt… If only he could have figured out something to say that would have made a difference, that would have convinced her to give up her rancor…

Kitty glowered. "When has that ever stopped you before?"

With the way livid look she was directing his way, he had no doubt that in her mind he and Carol were sharing equal blame for what was happening. Perhaps that was appropriate… But now wasn't the time to fight or debate liability – they had to do something, _anything_! "_Petite,_ I know y' blame me f'r dis, but can dat wait? I have t' go talk t' de _Professeur_, he'll be able t' do somethin'. Stay here an' keep an eye on her, okay?"

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Carol interrupted them, her tone rife with displeasure. "And I don't need a babysitter! Why don't you both just _leave _already?"

They both ignored her as Kitty considered him carefully, and then finally nodded. "Fine." He shot her a grateful smile in response and headed towards the door, but halted when she called out, "Remy? If anything happens to Rogue, I swear I will phase your still-beating heart from your body, got it?"

He didn't doubt her for a second. Gulping in acknowledgement, he rushed away and down the hall, not slowing down until he reached Xavier's office. He didn't have the presence of mind to knock, he simply burst in – but there was nobody in the room.

Glancing around desperately, he swore to himself. Where was the man? He was always here, and this was an emergency! Turning around to dash off again, he froze in his tracks as the Professor wheeled himself through the doorway, pausing to gaze inquisitively at his charge before continuing on his path through the room. "Somebody is certainly up bright and early this morning! I hope I haven't kept you waiting long, I only just awoke myself. Is there something I can do for you, Remy?"

"Carol's not givin' Rogue back her body!" he blurted out, too worried and flustered to care about finesse.

The telepath blinked, pausing beside his desk and turning around to face the young mutant. "Pardon me?"

"Carol's still in Rogue's body!" he repeated anxiously, feeling as if they were wasting precious time with each second that passed by. "Dey haven't switched like dey were supposed to, Carol didn't go through wit' it!"

Xavier's eyes widened. "I see… And how do you know this?"

"I talked t' her myself!" Remy cried, amazed at how the man could be so calm upon receiving such news. "I went t' see Rogue dis mornin' but Carol was dere instead!"

He steepled his fingers and furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "Why would she do such a thing? I was under the impression that their alternating schedule was working quite well…"

The thief's breath hitched at the question, realizing all his misdeeds were about to be revealed. He didn't have the time or patience to think of ways to spin the news to save his hide… He supposed he should have been used to his secrets coming out by now, since they had all slowly been getting exposed lately, but to divulge them to the Professor? He would be so disappointed… Although that wasn't important, was it? Rogue was what mattered here, not him and his reputation.

So bracing himself, he grimly muttered, "It's revenge."

"Revenge?" Xavier echoed, perplexed. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Revenge on whom?"

"On me an' Rogue – but mostly me," he reluctantly admitted, not able to meet the psychic's probing gaze. "She's… She's mad at me because I broke up wit' her."

The man's eyebrows shot up in surprise at that piece of information. "You two had begun dating? I was unaware of that development… I must confess that I, and I assume most of the Institute as well, were under the impression that you two were merely friends – albeit I had suspected greater feelings on Ms. Danvers' part…"

"Den y' suspected right," Remy commented, before adding, "We were tryin' t' keep it quiet."

"Well then, I must say you succeeded," Professor Xavier remarked dryly, before frowning. "But I fear I don't quite grasp the revenge concept… How is Carol not switching back with Rogue considered an act of vengeance?"

Gambit made a face and quickly confessed, "Because Carol found out I had feelin's f'r Rogue." He was extremely uncomfortable discussing this with the man, and wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

The Professor had always struck Remy as somebody that remained cool and collected in times of stress. He had never seen the man scream and shout, or look overwhelmed at anything. Needless to say, it was a quite a shock to see him look so taken aback. "Oh, Remy…"

"I know!" the thief lamented, throwing his hands up into the air in frustration, at both himself and his actions. "I made a huge mess o' t'ings. I was tryin' t' settle dem, but it all blew up in my face befo' I could. I finally managed t' break up wit' Carol an' she really didn't take it too well, an' decided t' take it out on me an' Rogue."

"My word," Xavier murmured concernedly. He remained silent for a few long moments before glancing seriously up at the Cajun. "Remy, I have to say, I'm very disappointed in you…"

"I know," he immediately accepted that, looking down at the ground dolefully. He felt like he'd gone back in time, to letting down Jean-Luc by bungling a heist, or annoying _Tante_ Mattie by making a mess of the kitchen… Only now his shame was so much worse, because he fully acknowledged his culpability. "I'm not too happy wit' myself either."

"Surely you knew the difficulties that would come with dating a girl in such a situation!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Not to mention the moral and ethical dilemmas. It would be unfair to _both_ Carol and Rogue! What could you have been thinking?"

Remy hung his head. "Honestly, I don't t'ink I _was_ t'inkin' at de start… When I finally realized what I was doin' an' some feelin's started t' come int' play, it was too late. I tried t' fix it, I swear – but t'ings kept snowballin'."

"At least I can sense your remorse," the telepath sighed, before clearing his throat and declaring, "Rest assured there shall be some punishment for this, but I cannot even begin to conceive of what would be appropriate. However, that is hardly the most pressing matter right now – first we must do something about Carol, for I certainly cannot condone her actions, no matter how justified she might feel them to be."

The thought of punishment hardly mattered, for all of Remy's attention clung onto merely a few of those spoken words. "So y' can help Rogue? Dere's somethin' y' can do?"

"I believe so," he confirmed, although perhaps not as convincingly as the thief would have liked. "Perhaps I can –"

But the explanation of his plan was interrupted by the door slamming open with a resounding crash. Both men started, and then peered over to see the cause of the commotion – they found it to be Wolverine, looking as wild as they had ever seen him.

"_You_!" he roared, and before Remy even had time to react, he found himself pushed up against a bookcase, the wooden shelves poking him uncomfortably in the back. Of course, that wasn't as disconcerting as the adamantium claws that were pointed directly at his face.

"Logan!" the Professor shouted firmly. "Put him down!"

"I don't think so, Chuck," the gruff Canadian growled, his piercing glare never shifting from the Cajun. "D'ya know what I just found out? I went to fetch Half-Pint an' Stripes for the Danger Room session, but Rogue wasn't there! _Carol_ was instead, an' I know this piece of swamp trash has somethin' to do with it!"

"I was already notified about this turn of events," Xavier informed him in a serene voice, which then hardened slightly as he once again ordered, "Now, put Remy down."

He snarled, but after a few seconds grudgingly did as requested – although he didn't move away, and kept his claws extended. "It's all this punk's fault," he accused vehemently. "I knew he was up to no good, an' I warned him about it before! Gumbo here should be _made_ into gumbo…"

"Wait – Logan, you knew about this?" the other man asked in alarm, but his voice was then drowned out.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Remy apologized sincerely to the enraged Canuck. "Y' knew I was tryin' t' stay away from Carol, an' y' should be happy dat I finally ended t'ings wit' her! De whole reason I was slow in breakin' up wit' her in de first place was _because_ I was afraid she'd take it out on Rogue – but den de opportunity came an' I didn't have a choice, an' I can't change dat now!"

"Oh, so you're sayin' I should be _happy_ that Carol's prancin' around in Rogue's body when she shouldn't be?" Logan questioned sarcastically. "Well damn, why don't throw a flippin' party then!"

"Please, the both of you, be quiet!" Xavier scolded, before directing his attention to the feral mutant. "Logan, answer me – did you know about the… situation between Remy and Carol?"

Wolverine actually looked somewhat sheepish. "Er, well… Some of it, yeah. But seems like I didn't know the whole story," he said with a fierce glower directed Gambit's way.

"I see," the Professor mused. "And why did you not see the need to inform me about it?"

"I… Er… I thought I was handlin' it."

"Ah. Well, I have said it before and I will say it again, but perhaps the two of you are more alike than you realize," he pointed out with a wry grin, amused for an instant despite the circumstances. "Logan, I assure you that Remy is indeed genuinely remorseful for his behaviour. I believe he would have attempted to change his course of action had he known what the consequences would be – he was acting in Rogue's best interests, exactly as you were…"

Logan stiffened and began to protest. "But –"

"Although I must say that I am not particularly pleased with either of you at the moment," Xavier continued firmly, and then frowned. "Nor am I pleased with myself."

"Chuck?" the gruff mutant queried, and Remy had to speculate at what exactly he meant. Surely he didn't blame himself – how could he?

"It seems that we are all at fault here," he stated dolefully, staring down at his clasped hands in introspection. "Even though Remy's actions brought this scenario about, Logan, your negligence to report it to me let it progress further, and my inability to keep as close an eye on my students as I perhaps should have no doubt facilitated it as well. So please, do not pile the blame solely on Remy unless you are prepared to shoulder some yourself, and at the same time direct some towards me."

His assertion brought silence to the room, and left both Remy and Logan stunned. For his part, the thief hadn't even considered that there were others who could share in some of the fault – and that in itself was odd, since he usually tried to rationalize ways in which his burden of responsibility was lessened. But in this case, he _knew_ he was to blame and that had been eating away at him enough as it was. He couldn't let others take on what was his burden to bear!

…_Dieu_, when had he become noble? He had no clue, but that was hardly the point.

"How can y' say dat?" he objected immediately. "How can y' blame y'rself when I worked so hard t' keep it all a secret from y'? I lied an' manipulated people t' hide what I was doin', an' it really is all my fault."

"Finally we agree on somethin'," Wolverine grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms sullenly.

Xavier raised a cautionary eyebrow in his direction before turning to Remy and saying, "No Remy, it is not. While it is admirable that you are accepting responsibility for your actions, you must acknowledge that both Logan and I had the opportunity to delve deeper and discover what was happening, and the fact remains that we did not."

He opened his mouth to protest once more, but the Headmaster held up a hand. "And in the grand scheme of things, determining the culprit is not as important as fixing the situation." 

"So, what's the plan then, Chuck?"

"Ain't dat obvious? Get Rogue back in control an' get Carol out o' Rogue's head! She's been nothin' but trouble."

Logan snorted. "Funny, I thought most of the trouble was _your_ doin', bub."

"Boys," the wheelchair-bound man intoned warningly. When they appeared sufficiently contrite, he said, "I do not want to do anything overly drastic just yet. After all, there is the chance that Rogue will simply realize the month is up and take back control on her own."

"Why hasn't she already?" Remy asked concernedly.

"There is no way to accurately measure how much time passes outside the mind," Xavier elaborated. "Inside one's unconsciousness the perception is vastly different. Previously, Rogue and Carol have worked on the honour system, simply relying on whoever was in control to let the other know when the month had expired."

The honour system? Remy couldn't help but believe that combining that with Carol was a horrible idea. The girl was a lot of things, but honourable wasn't one of them! It appeared Logan was thinking along those same lines. He irately asked, "How long will it take Stripes to realize she's late in switchin' back?"

"Unfortunately, I could not say," the Professor admitted.

"But den what if it takes days, or even weeks until Rogue realizes dat it's her turn?" Remy shouted incredulously. No, he couldn't let that happen! Not only did Carol not deserve to be walking around any longer than she already had, but Rogue certainly didn't deserve to be trapped in her mind with only shades of people for company!

"Calm down," he reassured both men, not at all surprised by the outburst. "It will most likely not even come to that. The first thing we should do is talk to Carol and discuss the situation – perhaps we can settle it amiably."

While he telepathically contacted her and bade her to meet with him, Remy and Logan could only glance at each other doubtfully. As powerful and influential as the Professor was, they simply weren't very confident that a stubborn, enraged Carol would be convinced to give up her revenge so easily…

Both men bristled when she sauntered into the room, followed by Kitty, who apparently had tagged along to make sure the girl reported to the proper place and didn't take off. Remy's ire started to fester again at the sight of her, especially when she didn't seem the least bit troubled or apprehensive about anything at all. No doubt she thought she hadn't done anything wrong!

"Good morning, Carol," Xavier greeted her cordially as she sat down across from him. Remy had to wonder how on earth he could be so polite to her.

She sat down across from him, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. Seeing as she still hadn't changed out of her sleepwear, the silk negligee provided a tantalizing view, and the thief had to glance away. "Morning," she responded easily, not caring a whit about her modesty (or lack thereof). "You wanted to see me?"

If the Professor had any opinion on her being so scantily-clad, he didn't share it. He merely continued calmly. "Indeed. I believe you can guess what we need to discuss with you?"

"Maybe," Carol shrugged coyly, but didn't elaborate.

After some seconds passed, he went on. "I have just been informed of the recent occurrences between you and Remy, and I must say that I am rather disappointed to hear of your actions."

"_My _actions?" she cried disbelievingly, sitting up with a jolt and then pointed at the Cajun. "What about _his_? He's the one that started it all!"

"I'm well aware of that, and rest assured, he will be punished," the Professor pledged. "It is not your job to do so."

"Why the hell not!" she exclaimed in agitation. "He hurt me, he _toyed_ with me! He deserves to go through some pain of his own!"

"Carol, I simply cannot condone that!" he stated more harshly. "No matter your motivation or how justified you may feel, it is wrong! I know you were hurt, but you simply cannot take out your anger on innocent parties!"

Her jaw dropped open, and for a moment she gaped at him. "Innocent parties? Innocent parties!" she shrieked, jumping to her feet. "That's it! I'm sick and tired of everybody seeing Rogue as some saint! Everybody treats her better while they treat me like a bitch, when it's _her_ fault I'm stuck here in the first place!"

"Carol –" the Professor tried to placate her, but was quickly interrupted.

"Oh, shut up! I'm sick of you acting all sympathetic, saying you know how I feel – you _don't_ know! _Nobody_ knows! Falling in love was the first good thing to happen to me in God knows how long, but then suddenly I'm told that the person I hate more than anything is who he's _really_ in love with – can you even imagine that? Doesn't my pain matter? No, obviously not, because everybody's more worried about _Rogue_!"

Remy was about to let loose a rejoinder to that, and he saw Kitty open her mouth to do the same, when he suddenly heard Xavier's voice in his mind. "_Please don't antagonize her any further! She is extremely agitated, and I fear you will only make things worse. Let me handle this."_

Reluctantly he kept quiet, although he wondered how exactly the Professor was planning on cooling the raging girl down. He'd never seen her so volatile, and frankly, it scared him a little bit…

"Carol, please, calm yourself!" Xavier yelled, and Remy had to amend his earlier thought about never having seen him shout. It was a rather intimidating sight, the man's dignified voice combined with the fact that raising it was such a rare event, but it didn't seem to give Carol even an instant's pause.

"No! Why should I?" she screeched, her arms flailing dramatically. "It's not _fair_! I don't understand, why am I the bad guy here? Have you all forgotten that she's a _murderer_? She _killed_ me, and for some reason you all ignore that! She took my body from me, don't _I _deserve to have hers in return?"

"Carol, we settled this issue a long time ago," the Professor stated severely, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You agreed to switch with Rogue every month. Clearly you do not wish to respect that arrangement, but I'm afraid I cannot let you continue with your rash behaviour."

"What're you going to do?" Carol snickered, not buying his threat. She was clearly irrational if she couldn't detect the utterly determined and steely glint in the man's eyes…

"I will enter your mind if I must and switch you two back myself," he announced, and then stared at her earnestly. "However, I would prefer not to. It is not too late to end this willingly, and allow Rogue to come back."

"No!" she shrieked, shaking her head vigorously. "She _owes_ me, and I'm not letting her have her body back! And I'm not afraid of you either – your damn ethics are too strong, I know you won't do it without my permission."

She glared at him superiorly and turned, ready to stride out of the room. Before she could get far, Wolverine blocked her way and aimed three claws right at her throat. "Not so fast, Ace," he growled, his dark eyes narrowed on her intensely. "You're not goin' anywhere."

"Oh yeah? You're going to stop me?" she scoffed, looking smug.

"I won't, but these babies will," he smirked, nodding to the blades extending from his knuckles. "Ya might be invulnerable, but not to adamantium."

A flicker of worry danced across her face but the next instant it was gone. "Hah! Like you'd put so much as a scratch on the body of your dear Rogue!"

She was right, and everybody in the room knew it. Shooting another snooty look to the Canadian, Carol nimbly stepped around him and started to make her way to the door. A mere two paces later, however, and she suddenly swayed, and then fell backwards.

Rushing forward, Remy caught her in her arms and peered at her worriedly. "What happened?" he cried in a panic. He knew it was still technically Carol he held, but he couldn't help but be fearful whenever Rogue's body appeared to be in trouble.

"She left me no choice," the Professor explained wearily from behind him. "While she was arguing with Logan I entered her mind and induced unconsciousness."

So, she had been wrong about his ethics then… While he usually reveled in whenever the girl was wrong, now wasn't really the time. He was completely focused on Rogue, and he wasn't the only one. Kitty had dashed over as soon as Carol fell, and from her place beside her friend she anxiously asked, "Can you switch them back now?"

"I shall do my best," he told them, and then indicated one of the couches. "If you could lay her down, Remy? And if you all would please remain quiet, I will require a great deal of concentration for this task…"

The Cajun did as requested, but couldn't bear to move away. He remained beside her and removed some gloves from a trench coat pocket, donning them before he took her bare hands in his. He knew the protection technically wasn't needed, but now certainly wasn't the time to reveal that Carol could touch.

A tense silence fell over the room as the telepath bent over her head, placing his hands to her temples and delving into her mind. Remy had no idea how many minutes passed, but it felt like an eternity. The entire time he remained he kept his eyes steadily fixed on her face, waiting for any flutter, any hint that she would wake.

None came.

Eventually Xavier straightened up, considerably more exhausted and concerned – but Rogue's body remained motionless. He had a curious expression on his face as he murmured, "How odd…"

"What's odd?" Remy immediately queried, tensing up. "What happened, were y' able t' get Rogue back?"

"The mindscape was much different than when I had previously delved into Rogue's unconscious," he explained, his gaze unfocused and far away, contemplating things. "The psyches seem to be in a more concentrated area of the mental plane… Regrettably, they were surrounding Rogue and prevented me from reaching her."

Remy's heart sank at the news. Beside him Kitty appeared to be on the verge of tears, while Logan demanded, "So, what? Ya can't get her back?"

"Not at the moment," came the disappointing answer. "I fear I may do more harm than good by forcing my way through the psyches…"

"So that's it?" Shadowcat wailed, looking at her mentor dazedly. "We just let Carol stay in Rogue's body?"

"I assure you it won't be permanent," Xavier attempted to soothe his distraught audience. "I shall keep attempting to switch them back – it is my belief that at some point the barrier of psyches will weaken, allowing me to get through. Should that fail, then my earlier strategy still applies – eventually Rogue will realize that it is her turn to be in control, and she will find her own way back. I know it is not what you wish to hear, but we may simply have to be patient…"

Kitty, Remy and Logan all exchanged frustrated glances. The brunette gave a sniffle and buried her head in her hands, while Wolverine snarled in anger and stormed off, no doubt ready to take out his frustrations by trashing the Danger Room. All the Cajun could do was squeeze Rogue's hand tighter, still lost in disbelief.

Patience? That certainly wasn't his strong suit… But he supposed he didn't have much of a choice.

* * *

Holy brine, Batman! Rogue seems to be in a bit of a pickle, doesn't she? ;) 

**Next chapter** – Remy stumbles across a rather unpleasant discovery…

So! Who's going to be kind enough to leave a review so my fragile ego will be inflated enough to churn out the next chapter? ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	30. Waiting

**Disclaimer:** I'm running out of ways to say that I don't own the X-Men! …Although I suppose I just did.

**A/N:** Ooh, look at me, churning out the chapters… I'm surprised I've been so productive lately – let's just hope it keeps up, eh? Anyhoo, here we are, the big 3-0. Frankly, I'm surprised the fic ending up being this long – when I outlined it, I expected only about 25 chapters or so, but as usual, I ended writing more than I planned. I hope you don't consider that a bad thing! ;)

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 30 – Waiting**

_**April 2006**_

It hadn't taken long for the news to spread. That first morning, after she regained consciousness, Carol had continued to flounce around the house like nothing was wrong. Although such a perky Rogue was virtually unheard of, it still tended to take a few glances before the other students realized something was off about the gothic girl. Needless to say, the gossip had spread quickly…

The true story had been revealed during the team meeting the Professor then immediately called – and as expected, it was a tense affair.

"Vat's going on! Vhy isn't _meine_ _Schwester _back?" Kurt had yelled the instant he'd bamfed into the office, the most visibly upset of the assembled party. His yellow eyes flickered around the room, his tail swished back and forth frantically. "It's some kind of April Fool's Day gag, _ja_? Is she getting back at me for putting hair dye in her shampoo? I'll buy a new bottle if she vants!" he cried desperately, looking to Xavier for some sort of reassurance.

The telepath looked back at him sadly, clenching his hands together in his lap. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I wish I could tell you this is in fact some joke, but it is far more serious than that. I regret to inform you that Carol has not relinquished control over Rogue's body this month."

"Oh my stars and garters," exclaimed Hank from where he leaned against the wall, and beside him Ororo gasped, "You cannot be serious!"

The reactions of the others were more subdued. Scott looked disbelieving when he heard the news, and Jean's face creased in distress. Piotr remained stoic as usual, but concern was evident in his eyes, not only for Rogue but for Kitty as well. She sat in front of him, taking strength from the hand he placed gently on her shoulder. She still appeared sick at the whole situation, her gaze fixed on the floor dazedly.

Logan wasn't present – no doubt he was still working out his rage in the Danger Room. That left Remy, standing in the corner, trying to remain as inconspicuous as he could amongst the shadows. He hadn't wanted to draw any undue attention towards himself, but no doubt the others' focus would be directed his way soon – he guessed it would only be a matter of time until the inevitable question was asked, and then his part in it would be revealed.

"But why?" Ororo wondered, her expression plainly displaying her shock. "Why would she do such a thing?"

Ah, there it was. Remy braced himself for their reactions – all he could do was hang his head and prepare for the outrage.

Xavier subtly shifted his eyes over to him before delicately beginning, "It seems that Carol has been harbouring rather intense feelings for Remy – however, she discovered that he did not reciprocate, and actually directed his own feelings towards Rogue instead. Ms. Danvers apparently decided that this act is an adequate means of doling out vengeance on them both."

Most of the room absorbed that explanation with a great deal of shock, including Remy. Why had he worded the story so carefully? Why not fully elaborate on his despicable actions?

"_I assure you that my selective explanation is in no way meant to ease your burdens in any way,"_ the telepathic message then echoed in his mind. "_No doubt you will still be blamed by some, and although that is perhaps deserved, I simply wish to prevent any further discord amongst my students. Enough drama already exists – I do not intend to add more that might tear this house apart."_

The thief nodded almost imperceptibly, indicating he understood. And sure enough the Professor had been correct, for the next second Nightcrawler whipped a glare in Remy's direction and hissed, "You! You caused zhis? I knew it, I knew you vere after _meine__Schwester_!"

The younger boy began to advance threateningly towards him, while Remy raised his hands and claimed, "_Mon ami_, I didn't mean f'r any o' dis t' happen!"

"He speaks the truth," the Professor asserted, directing a stern eye towards the German mutant. "Please Kurt, being cross at Remy will serve no purpose. We must not divide the team – we must present a united front against Carol in hopes that she will abandon her vendetta."

The boy continued to eye Gambit with a scowl on his face, but eventually stepped back. It didn't escape Remy that Kurt hadn't actually agreed to not being angry at him, but he figured he couldn't very well blame him for that. Instead the fuzzy mutant turned and beseeched Xavier, "Isn't zhere anything you can do?"

"I have already attempted to restore Rogue's control, but I was unable to succeed," came the apologetic explanation. "I could not reach her, as her psyches were concentrated in her mind, creating a sort of barrier that impeded my progress."

That disclosure greatly discouraged Kurt, who dropped onto the couch beside Kitty in disbelief. Ororo filled the uneasy silence by asking, "Is there anything else that can be done, Charles?"

The man raised his folded hands and rested his chin on them thoughtfully. "I will persist in my attempts, of course, but I believe the best course of action is to wait for Rogue to regain control on her own."

"Zhat's it?" Kurt cried. "Ve just sit and vait?"

"I know it is disheartening," Beast attempted to comfort him, "But it is perhaps the best option we have at the moment. No harm will come to Rogue, and I can virtually guarantee that she will eventually take up the proverbial reins of her mind once more – after all, it is hers, and thus she is best suited to control it. It will only be a matter of time."

"So what's our plan of action?" Cyclops then spoke up, slipping into his leadership mode. "We obviously have to confront Carol about this, to try and reason with her that she has to give up the body. Maybe we should also assign shifts to keep tabs on her, in case she does anything drastic?"

"Like what?" Jean wondered skeptically, placing a restraining hand on his arm. "She's not going to do anything, Scott – she _wants_ the body, remember? She isn't going to harm herself!"

Kurt shot up in alarm at that. "Vould she hurt Rogue?"

"Of course not!" Jean brushed the threat aside, but her boyfriend glanced at her disconcertedly.

"Can you be so sure about that? I know you're friends with her, but her actions are far from what I'd call rational!"

"I'll say," Kitty muttered, finally speaking from her seat on the couch. With her arms crossed and eyes narrowed, she'd been as far from her usual sprightly self as Remy (and probably everyone else in the room) had ever seen her – not that the recent events didn't call for such a mood. "She seemed kind of unstable… Maybe keeping an eye on her isn't such a bad idea."

"But it would only anger her!" Jean protested, indignant on the other girl's behalf. "It's treating her like a criminal!"

"So vhat!" Nightcrawler shouted back with agitation. "She broke ze agreement she made vith Rogue, vhy should ve trust her now?"

"I agree," Scott nodded resolutely. "What's she's doing is cruel and thoughtless, and certainly not what I'd expect from a member of the X-Men! She's being selfish, and worse yet, it's at the expense of another teammate."

"But try to look at it from her point of view!" the redhead objected, raising her voice. "She's upset and hurt, you can't expect her to be overly rational about things!"

"Jeez, whose side are you on, Jean?" Kitty griped sarcastically, scowling at the other girl. "I mean, don't rush to Rogue's defense or anything!"

"I'm not on anybody's side!" she insisted, holding her hands up peacefully. "I'm only saying that maybe we should try to understand where Carol's coming from, and acknowledge that it must be frustrating to be stuck in that sort of situation!"

Shadowcat merely glowered. "Well of course you'd say that, you actually like Carol!"

"Whether I like her or not isn't the issue here!"

"You're right, it's not! The issue is that the deal they had made was broken, by _Carol_! She's the one who wronged Rogue, and you can't argue with that!" the brunette cried passionately, leaping to her feet to make her point.

Jean clenched her jaw and stood as well, beginning to protest, "I'm not –"

"Yes you are!"

"–I'm only saying that we shouldn't judge her so harshly!"

Would she still have said that if she had been aware of Carol's actions, lies, and secrets over the past few months? Remy couldn't be sure, but he desperately hated the idea of Carol being portrayed as a victim as much as Rogue was. It would be a simple thing to reveal the whole truth, to bring Carol's true devious nature to light… Simple in theory, that was. Yet it would only prompt the fighting between the others to be solely directed at him, and the thief's strong sense of self-preservation strongly urged him to keep quiet – so he did, keeping to the shadows and watching as the team meeting descended into further disorder.

"Maybe Jean is correct –" Colossus then carefully interjected, only to face his girlfriend's wrath.

"Piotr! How can you say that?"

"– But it is also true vhat Katya says: Carol broke de agreement. It should not be allowed, _da_?"

And in an instant Kitty's dangerous glare turned to one of triumph. "Exactly!"

"It's not that simple!" Jean complained, only to be interrupted once again – this time by her significant other, a rather rare event.

"But maybe it should be!" Cyclops suggested fiercely. "This is tearing the team apart! Their deal worked well up until now, and it was the only thing that was successful. We have to find some way to reinstate it, and then enforce it!"

"Scott is correct," Xavier interjected firmly. "There is no resolution that will make everybody perfectly content – we must simply aim for the greatest good."

"But what about what's _fair_?"

"Oh, and you think Carol stealing Rogue's body is fair?"

"No, but –"

"After all Rogue sacrificed for her, and zis is how she repays her?"

"They both had to make sacrifices!"

"Voltaire once said, 'I am very fond of truth, but not at all of martyrdom.' Perhaps it is not our place to make such judgments on whose was the larger sacrifice?"

"Well, Carol's thoughts seem pretty clear on that –"

"Maybe if you got to know her a bit better, you could see where she's coming from!"

"Oh yeah, I can see myself being best friends vith ze girl who tried to steal _meine_ _Schwester'_s body –"

"And now she's doing it again! We should've been expecting it!"

"Now, I don't condone her actions, but you know that's not the attitude we have here! She deserved a second chance –"

"And she's screwed it up!"

"But she –" "– so what if she –" "– how can you –" "– I can't believe you –"

"Children, please!"

The pleas for peace had done nothing to quell the chaos, and the meeting was further propelled into pandemonium. Remy hated to admit it, but Cyclops had been right. Carol's actions impacted more than merely herself and Rogue – they were slowly ripping the team apart.

- X -

_**One week later…**_

He used to think that a month with Carol dragged on forever, seemingly never-ending. Now, after her act of insubordination, that seemed to be turning into the truth.

Seven days had passed since Rogue was supposed to be back in control of her body, but instead the Southerner was still stuck in her mind. Remy couldn't help but worry… The Professor had guaranteed that Rogue was in no danger or pain – she was only in the state that she usually was, spending her time in her mental facsimile of the mansion. She likely didn't know anything was even wrong… And therein lay the problem.

How long would it take until she realized something was amiss? Thankfully Rogue wasn't the most patient of girls, so the odds were that she would eventually recognize too much time had passed and then force her way back… But how long would that take? A few more days, a few more weeks? Remy didn't even want to contemplate it being longer than that.

He fidgeted, both due to nerves and trying to heat up. He stood outside, and although spring was around the corner it was still rather cool, especially since the sun had set hours ago. Unable to keep still, the thief walked around the perimeter of the mansion until he reached the garage, and then leaned against the door. From that angle nobody would be able to glance out any of the windows and see him there, which was exactly what he wanted. He was tired of the looks he received, whether they were judgmental or pitying.

Reaching into his trench coat, Remy took out a pack of cigarettes. Using his power to light one, he greedily inhaled the soothing smoke and was warmed instantly. So much for having kicked the habit… But he couldn't help it. The escalating situation with Carol had pushed him over the edge, and stressed the Cajun beyond belief. It was amazing how calming a smoke could be, especially after he'd gone without them for so long. It would probably be hell to try and quit again… But he'd manage it. After all, he'd have Rogue to yell at him when she found out he'd relapsed – and that was perhaps the most comforting thing of all. With each drag he was reminded of how much she hated the vice, yet it gave him an argument to look forward to when she returned. Because she _would_ return…

He absolutely couldn't wait. He'd gone for extended amounts of time without her, of course, so he knew he should have been able to handle it, but it seemed so much worse at the moment. It was probably the fact that by all rights she _should_ have been there with him, and yet she was forcibly kept away. The thief clenched his jaw in anger, as he always did nowadays at the thought of the overly self-righteous Ms. Marvel. He had been brought up never to raise a hand against a woman, but she sorely tempted his resolve. It was lucky for her that she was invulnerable, or else she would no doubt have been phased, iced, bombed, blasted, and skewered by the rest of the mansion's inhabitants by now.

Following that first team meeting, things hadn't been very pleasant. Scott had outright ordered Carol to switch back with Rogue, and she had merely laughed. Kitty and Kurt continued to plead with her, and she simply scoffed. Even Logan's threats and Jamie's tears had no effect, nor Jean's attempts to play peacemaker. Every avenue had failed, and now the entire mansion was walking on eggshells. The only one seemingly not concerned with it all was Carol, who continued on with her delusions of entitlement.

Why did she bother sticking around when barely anybody would talk to her? Conversations halted when she entered a room, glares followed her every move. She had previously complained about it bothering her, that the others seemed to favour Rogue over her, and her latest ploy obviously hadn't helped matters. Did her revenge really mean that much to her, that she was willing to incur the wrath of the Institutes's inhabitants?

Apparently so. And that made Remy even more anxious.

It was as if she'd go to any lengths to hurt both him and Rogue – she didn't care about anything else other than her own feelings. Although the same could have been said for her weeks ago, at least then she hadn't acted upon her malicious thoughts. Now that she had, the line had been crossed. Anything that had formerly been holding her back from acting out her animosity was no longer a factor, and that scared him.

He wasn't taking any chances. He'd been watching her like a hawk, and thankfully she'd been unaware of it thus far. He just wanted to make sure that if Rogue suddenly regained control that she wouldn't be too confused. He wanted to be there the instant the switch occurred, so he could explain everything. Thankfully Carol had been confined to the mansion – he didn't want to entertain thoughts of how bewildered Rogue would be if she suddenly came back to her body while it was out on the town, in some strange place.

Along with watching her, the Cajun had been checking in with Xavier constantly, to the point of almost annoying the older man – however, he had yet to impart any good news. He'd been trying to enter Carol's mind every night as she slept, hoping the mental interference he met would be weaker then, but it hadn't worked. The concentration of psyches continued to hinder his efforts, and so their only option was to stand by.

That made him feel useless, and he hated it. If a problem came up, he liked to do something about it – he wasn't the type to sit around and cross his fingers that things would magically work out for the best. No, he was used to action… But there was nothing he could do now.

Finishing off his cigarette, Remy dropped it to the pavement and stomped it out before reaching for another. The only thing he had to do was chain-smoke, he chuckled wryly to himself. Well, that and think – but thinking always turned to brooding, and brooding always increased his worries. Smoking was a decent way to alleviate some of those nerves… What a nice cycle he'd created for himself.

He brought his finger to the tip of the cig to light it, when a movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. His head quickly jerked up, only to see a large shape moving overhead. He gave silent thanks that his odd eyes let him see well in the dark, because he instantly discerned it as Carol. But what was she doing out at this late hour?

Without even pausing to think about it, Gambit threw away his cigarette, pivoted on his heel and hauled open the garage door. Dashing over to his bike, he started it and peeled out of the driveway after her. The girl was flying quickly, but not so fast that he wasn't able to follow her – besides, the race through the streets of Bayville was exhilarating (although it would have been more so had his thoughts not been consumed by burning curiosity).

As she flew above, he flew below, zooming along the streets at top speeds and taking corners with wild abandon. Traffic laws were completely disobeyed, but at this late hour there was nobody around to care. Finally she began to slow and descend, and he curbed his speed as well, not wanting to get too close and tip her off that she'd been tailed.

Braking at a corner, Remy stared as Carol alighted on the roof of a building on the adjacent street. A nightclub, he realized, taking in the neon sign out front and the bouncer standing guard. He watched as the girl climbed down the fire escape into the alley beside the club, then walked out and over to the entrance.

She sashayed over to the burly bouncer, a man with a shaved head and arms the size of tree trunks. Her body's posture shifted, tilting towards him coyly as she shoved her chest out. No doubt he enjoyed her display, as he then let her pass. After she went inside, he brought his bike closer, parked it, and dashed in after her. The thief gave the man a dark glare as he moved by, and although it was hidden by his sunglasses, the message was received and he wasn't stopped.

The inside of the club was dim, with shadows cast by the neon decorations hanging around and strobe lights flashing in a staccato rhythm over the dance floor. It was fairly lame, but also one of the only clubs in the small town of Bayville, which consequently made it popular by default. There were a fair number of people milling about inside, so Remy stopped once through the entrance and started to scan for his quarry. His part of the room was elevated above the dance floor, giving him a good view of the throng moving to some annoyingly repetitive techno song. She wasn't found amongst the dancers, so he glanced to his left, where intimate booths lined the wall, but she occupied none of them. He finally noticed her over to his right, leaning against the far end of the bar.

He began to smoothly slide his way past the patrons, but the crowd made it slow going. Trying to keep his eyes on her the whole time, he saw a young man come up behind her and place his arm on hers. She turned around with a grin and greeted him. Who the hell was that? Remy's brow furrowed and he kept trying to inch forward, his stare fixated on them as they stepped onto the dance floor and started moving together.

His gaze narrowed dangerously as he watched them press up against each other, Rogue's body snug against the mysterious boy, writhing in abandon, her arms flung around his neck, her lips mere inches away from his…

No – it was Carol, not Rogue… Logically he knew that, and yet jealousy was still boiling inside of him. The last thing he wanted to see was Rogue's body getting up close and personal with some random man, whether she was in it or not! He wanted to go over there and rip them apart, but he was still halfway across the club. Surging forward with renewed vigor, he pushed his way forward, trying to keep them in his sights.

As he descended the stairs and reached the lower level, the crowd blocked his progress. For a second his view of them was blocked, and when he looked again, the pair had moved. Where had they gone? A sense of panic rapidly settled in his gut and refused to budge, even though he wasn't quite sure why. All he knew was that he really didn't like the way that punk had been looking at her…

He had to find them, _now_.

Forcing his way through the dancers, oblivious to their looks of annoyance, he vainly attempted to see over the heads of the clubbers and catch sight of Carol again. The strobe lights were still flashing, and made it difficult to discern who was who. He scanned the room for the outfit she'd been wearing, but a sequined top and tiny black miniskirt weren't exactly original in this place. He then tried to focus on her hair, knowing the white stripe would set her apart from the crowd, but nothing jumped out at him.

Remy's dread was growing. The flickering lights and pulsing bass went right through him, matching his rapidly increasing heartbeat and fueling the desperate urge he felt to find her. Moving to the small flight of stairs that led to the dance floor, he climbed up to give himself a higher vantage point and scrutinized the people around him again.

There! Over across the room, he could see them walking down the hallway towards the bathrooms, the boy with his arm around Carol's waist and her leaning cozily into him. Gambit clenched his jaw and took off, shoving his way through whoever stood in his way, not noticing nor caring about the toes he stepped on or the drinks he spilled in his single-mindedness to get to Rogue.

Fear and frustration mounting, it felt like he was moving in slow-motion, and that every single person in the building had to step in front of him and get in his way. Finally reaching the hallway, he found it empty. Breathing heavily, partially from exertion, partially from nervousness, and partially from fury, he continued forward. They couldn't have gone far.

The first door the thief came to was the women's bathroom, and without a moment's hesitation he opened the door.

"Can I help you?" a girl asked curiously (and very eagerly), staring at him from where she had been touching up her makeup in the mirror.

He didn't answer, only looked behind her at the three stalls inside the room. All the doors were open, and there was nobody else there. Backing up without a word, he sprinted over to the men's bathroom door and threw it open.

The sight of Carol sitting on the counter, her long legs wrapped around her companion's waist while he plundered her mouth with his tongue, made Remy's lungs constrict and his stomach churn. His cry of outrage died in his throat, and for a moment all he could do was stand frozen as the pair kissed lustfully, and Carol's hands trailed lower to undo the boy's belt and lower his zipper.

That action prompted the Cajun into high gear. Striding over, he grabbed the stranger by the collar of his shirt and shoved him into the wall with all the force he could muster. Before he could even react, Remy drew a fist back and punched him across the face with all his might, hearing a satisfyingly sickening crack as his nose broke.

He pulled back and prepared to swing again, but by now Carol had gotten over her shock. "Stop it!" she shrieked, grabbing the thief's wrist and yanking him backwards.

"I'm sorry!" the boy cried out in a stuffed tone, clutching at his now-bleeding nose. "I didn't know she had a boyfriend, honest!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Carol corrected him, but whoever her new paramour was didn't appear to be listening.

He was huddled in the corner, trying to get as far away from Remy as he could. The might the girl used in pulling him away had bumped his sunglasses off, and now his demonic eyes were visible. As if the boy hadn't already been frightened enough of the raging Cajun, a glance at what the glasses had been concealing absolutely petrified him.

He gasped, skin paling and creating more of a contrast with the blood oozing down his face. "I'm sorry, man, seriously!" was all he could choke out, before rushing past the mutants in terror and scurrying out the door.

Well, that saved Remy the trouble of having to pummel him further (although it probably would have been therapeutic). Now all that was left was to deal with Carol, who was staring desperately after the departing human. "Michael, wait! Come back!"

When he didn't spare her so much as a second glance in his rush to run off, she whirled around and furiously shrieked, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What am _I_ doin'? What de hell are _you_ doin'?" he bellowed furiously, not bothering to disguise his rage when dealing with her anymore.

She scowled, finally releasing her tight grasp on his wrists and crossing her own arms over her chest. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was tired of being cooped in the mansion with everybody treating me like a bad guy! I wanted to have a little fun."

"Oh, y' looked like y' were havin' _fun_ all right," he seethed in a low, dangerous tone as he continued to breathe in and out heavily. "Who was de kid attatched t' y'r face?"

She bristled, but then gave a defiant toss of her hair and a self-satisfied smirk once she realized how much it was bothering him. "Oh, Michael? Just some guy I've been seeing lately…"

And suddenly Remy realized where she'd been all those times he'd gone to her room, only to find her missing.

"What's the matter?" she cooed, pouting tauntingly in front of him. "_Jealous_? You shouldn't be – wasn't it was you that said I deserved somebody better than you? Well, guess what – I found somebody better, somebody that actually wants me for me!"

"Looks t' me like he wanted y' f'r a whole 'nother reason," he growled, not even wanting to consider it – but intense worry propelled him forwards. Grabbing the girl by her shoulders and swinging her around, he pushed her against the bathroom stall and demanded, "Tell me y' weren't about t' do what I _t'ink_ y' were!"

He could tell she was slightly intimidated by his harsh manner, although she tried to hide it by jutting her chin out stubbornly and shrugging, "We were only having some fun, it's no big deal!"

"No big deal!" Gambit cried back, his incredulous voice reverberating off the black tiles on the wall. "It looked like y' were about t' have sex!"

"So?"

"So?" he echoed, completely bewildered. Did she not get it?

"Yeah, so what? I don't see what the big deal is," Carol snapped. "It's not like I'm a virgin or whatever!"

"But Rogue is!" he forced out through gritted teeth, still not believing what he was hearing. "How could y' do dat in her body? Y' didn't have her permission, it'd be like rape!"

"Oh please, don't be a hypocrite!" she shot back with venom. "As if you'd pass up the opportunity to sleep with Rogue if you could – would you consider what _I _wanted then? I don't think so!"

"Dat's different!" he insisted, slightly flustered. "It's Rogue's body!"

"No, once she let me share, that made it _our_ body – which means _I_ get to decide what _I_ do in it!"

Her argument seemed very grade-school to him, along the lines of 'finders, keepers' or 'because I said so', and yet it gave him pause. Did she really have the right to live her own life independently of whether she was sharing the body or not? No, that was too broad a concern to debate at the moment. The important issue was whether she had the right to do something as drastic as sleep with somebody in Rogue's body, and nothing would convince him of that. "Y' can't make a choice like dat f'r somebody! It's a huge decision – t'ink of how violated y'd feel if it happened t' y'!"

"Oh, you mean more violated than having your whole being absorbed into somebody else?" she retorted scathingly, raising an imperious brow.

Remy could feel the nerves in his neck twitch, his aggravation at its peak. His head was too clouded with rage to think of any truly sound lines of reasoning, so he just insisted, "She wouldn't do dis t' y', an' y' know it!"

"Do I?" she snorted, and then poking him in the chest she continued, "I think if she could, she'd sleep with you in an _instant_, without a second thought to poor little Carol. But gee, she can't, can she? Too bad for her…" She accompanied her final words by saucily running her bare fingers across Gambit's cheek, but he slapped them away instantly.

"I won't let y' do it," he proclaimed resolutely, gripping her hand tightly. He was determined to keep his firm hold on her, because he certainly wasn't letting her anywhere out of his sight. "What y're thinkin' is disgustin', an' dere's no way I'm lettin' it happen. I'm takin' y' back to de mansion, _now_."

His demand only made her laugh, cruelly and coldly. "Oh yeah? And if I don't _want_ to go back?"

Gambit looked her directly in those frosty blue eyes of hers, twinkling with spitefulness, and with forced calmness stated, "Y' either come wit' me, or I'll call Xavier. He'll either knock y' out again or send Wolvie t' tear y' a new one an' drag y' out o' here. Y'r choice."

She glared back at him, trying to gauge whether he was serious or not – which he was. "Fine," she spat out, apparently choosing the option that would be the least humiliating for her, as he knew she would.

"_Bien_," he nodded tersely, feeling thankful that one crisis had been averted – but he had a sinking feeling that once they returned to the Institute, another would commence.

- X -

After a speeding motorcycle ride back to the mansion (complete with the girl squeezing his body too tightly) and more threats to get her to follow him, the pair finally arrived at the door to the Professor's office. Remy knocked quickly, hoping the man was still up at the late hour.

Luckily, a curious voice called from within. "Come in!"

He opened the door and yanked Carol through, directing her towards the man's desk. He merely took them in with inquisitiveness and questioned, "Dare I ask what you two are doing up at this time of night?" No doubt he was wondering what sort of circumstances brought them to him with Carol in a rather risqué outfit and Remy still livid with rage.

"Y' should ask _her_ dat," Gambit seethed, jerking his head in the girl's direction.

She merely stood with her hands on her hips, scowling petulantly. "I just wanted to go out and relax! Don't act like you've never snuck out."

"Carol, you were told to remain in the mansion as a part of your punishment," Xavier told her sternly, glancing at her with his brow creased.

She only rolled her eyes at his scolding. She had already disregarded her accord with Rogue and the conditions Xavier imposed on her, why would she listen to him now? She wouldn't, and at the same time, the Professor probably wouldn't enforce any greater limitations on her unless he knew what she had truly been up to. Her current restrictions clearly weren't enough – she was easily able to fly away from the mansion and its watchful eyes. Remy knew something more forceful needed to be done. But that meant revealing another secret, one perhaps much more appalling than his others had been…

Selfish thoughts ran through his head first. He had wanted to be the one to break the news that Carol could touch to Rogue, so he could soothe her upset and give her hope… And more self-servingly, try to ease the blame that could be assigned to him for not divulging it. If he told Xavier, what would the man do? Not only would he be upset at Remy, but surely he would tell Rogue himself!

It had never ceased to amaze him that she could have moved beyond the secrets he'd kept from her in the past, but this latest incident? She would probably never forgive him for keeping such important information, regarding the thing she wanted most of all, hidden from her…

But at the moment, keeping her body safe from more of Carol's romps around town took priority. The Cajun wished he could think of a way to balance the need to protect Rogue with his yearning to not have her hate him, but there didn't seem to be any alternatives at the moment – especially considering the lengths Carol was willing to go to in her vindictiveness.

So taking a deep breath, Remy stared at Xavier and blurted out, "Dere has t' be more t' dat punishment! Do y' know what she was doin' when I found her? She was practically havin' sex wit' a boy at a club!"

"Hey, don't make me sound like such a slut!" she cried indignantly, completely missing the point yet again. "It's not like I hooked up with some random guy, I've been seeing him for the past few weeks!"

"That is hardly the issue!" Xavier interrupted her protests, his raised voice laced with ill temper and disappointment. "What are you saying? That Carol has the ability to touch?"

He had never seen the Professor look like that, suspended between anger and astonishment as he glanced back and forth between his two charges. When neither of them spoke, he turned to Carol and austerely inquired, "Well, Ms. Danvers? Is this true? Judging from your revealing attire, I would assume it must be so…"

Her mouth hung open for a few moments before crossing her arms and exasperatedly confirming, "Yeah, it's true."

Xavier took a sharp intake of breath. "I see…" Steepling his fingers, he stared seriously up at her. "And is the rest of what Remy said true as well? Were you willing to disrespect Rogue's body by having relations with some boy?"

"You guys just don't get it, do you?" she huffed, stomping her foot childishly. "This is _my_ body now, I get to decide what I do in it!"

"Not when it is to Rogue's detriment!"

"What detriment?" she shouted in irritation. "She should be _thanking_ me – this way she won't end up as some virgin spinster!"

The thief's lips curled in disgust, and the telepath shook his head in disbelief. "Carol, I cannot condone this attitude! If I had known you felt this way, I never would have allowed you and Rogue to enter into your agreement in the first place."

"Well, it's too late for that, isn't it? There's nothing you can do now," she challenged.

He seemed to ignore her, instead issuing an ultimatum. "I will give you one last chance. Please release Rogue back into her body before I have no choice but to do something drastic."

"Like what?" she snorted, not threatened in the least. "Knock me out again? Big deal, I'll still wake up in control, like I did last time. If you had a way of bringing Rogue back, you would've done it by now!"

She had a point, and it no doubt bolstered her fearlessness. Remy hated that she was right about that. Could the Professor say anything against it? He watched them both carefully, gaze shifting back and forth between the two mutants like he was following a tennis match. The tension in the room was palpable, but a gut feeling told him that the man wasn't bluffing.

"Carol, please – I'm warning you!"

"Do your worst!" she taunted him, stepping forward and stooping down to his eye-level to glare at him. "I've got this body now, and I'm not giving it up!"

Xavier closed his eyes regretfully. "Very well. I'm sorry it had to come to this." And before the thief knew it, Carol had collapsed, Rogue's body falling backwards to the floor.

He lunged forward and caught her as he had last time, cradling her gently. "Y' knocked her out again?" he questioned carefully. "I thought Carol was right, dat y' couldn't do anyt'ing t' get Rogue back like dat."

The man's expression was grim. "Unfortunately, she was right – the psyches continue to impede my entry further into her mind. However, with these latest events transpiring, I no longer believe it is safe to simply let Carol take advantage of Rogue's body while we wait for her to reawaken."

"So what den?"

He observed the inert form of his student with a deep remorse. "I will have to keep Carol unconscious until Rogue returns. We cannot take the chance that what almost occurred tonight might happen again."

"Agreed," Remy nodded briskly, brushing a stray strand of white hair away from Rogue's face.

He heard the man heave a great sigh, and peered up to notice his grave countenance. Speaking quietly, almost as if to himself, the Professor murmured, "I feel I failed Rogue yet again. I should have detected Carol's instability and bitterness when first analyzing her after the incident, before allowing her and Rogue to enter into their arrangement… She hid it well, but I should have delved deeper!"

It was a bit odd attempting to comfort such a seemingly-omniscient man, but he felt he had to. After all, surely it was more his fault than Xavier's? "Y're a telepath – dat don't mean y' can predict de future, henh? Y' did what y' do best, an' gave her a chance. It's her fault f'r tryin' t' take advantage of it." 'And my fault too,' he thought to himself.

For a moment Remy thought the man had read his mind when he asked, "You are regretful too, are you not?"

The shock and distrust must have shown on his face, for Xavier quickly added, "No, I did not use my powers – it is obvious that you can a great deal for Rogue. Yet that makes me wonder why you decided to keep something as imperative as Carol being able to control her powers a secret."

His voice wasn't accusing, but rather let down – and that made Remy feel all the worse. Turning his stare away and back to Rogue, he lowly murmured, "I did what I thought was best at de time… I didn't know how t' tell Rogue dat Carol had accomplished somethin' she couldn't, an' I didn't know how t' tell her wit'out her gettin' mad at me. It was stupid, I know – an' y're right, I do regret it. More den y' know."

The telepath observed his student carefully, with a raised brow. "I trust there are no more secrets you have been keeping?"

He shook his head. "Dat's all o' dem..." At least now he wouldn't have to juggle and hide them anymore.

Xavier appeared as if he wanted to say something, but then seemed to change his mind and merely declared, "We shall have to discuss this further tomorrow, Remy. I will need to hear as many details as you can tell me about Carol's control over Rogue's powers. Perhaps Dr. McCoy and I will be able to deduce how she was able to achieve it, since I sincerely doubt she will be particularly forthcoming with the details."

"Whatever y' need," the Cajun acquiesced, a smidgeon of hope blossoming inside of him. Would they really be able to come up with something? But then taking in the small body in his arms, he realized it hardly mattered unless Rogue was back to put their theories to the test. "What about Rogue?"

"Take her down to the med lab – we will be able to monitor her condition most accurately there," he decided, before slightly furrowing his brow in a manner that made Remy realize he was telepathically communicating with somebody. "I am contacting Dr. McCoy and requesting him to prepare a bed."

"_Merci, Professeur_," he thanked the man, but felt the need to apologize as well. "I know I can't say it enough, but I'm sorry I helped cause dis mess…"

Xavier only nodded, but after Gambit had easily picked up Rogue's lithe body and began to exit the study, he called out, "Remy? Remember that the blame does not solely rest with you – it can be distributed amongst all of us. But do try to remain optimistic? I have faith that we will find a solution."

He didn't know how to respond to that, so he simply inclined his head and continued the trek down to the sub-levels of the mansion. He barely took his eyes off Rogue's face the entire time, counting on his thief's memory for layout to keep him from tripping or running into something. She seemed so peaceful… He hoped she was that way wherever she was stuck in her mind.

When he reached his destination she continued to monopolize his attention so much that Hank's greeting startled him. "Over here, my young friend!" he called, gesturing the boy towards the bed he had prepared. "Charles has just informed me of what transpired, and I have readied the necessary equipment to monitor our southern belle."

His last word made Remy wince, remembering once more the part she (and by extension, he) had played in this whole scenario, but he trudged forward and placed Rogue down as gently as he could. He carefully tucked her in under the blanket (the skimpy clothes Carol had donned certainly couldn't be warm in the cool corridors beneath the Institute), and then watched silently as Beast deftly placed tiny monitors on her chest and forehead with his large, clawed hands.

"What are dey for?" he questioned worriedly.

"Nothing to fret about!" Hank explained soothingly. "They will monitor her heart rate and brain waves, so we might be able to determine when Rogue is closer to waking up."

It didn't escape his notice that the doctor said _when_ instead of _if_, and he was grateful for that – but then any appreciative thoughts fled when the blue mutant suddenly began attaching metal cuffs to Rogue's limbs.

"Woah, what are y' doin'!" He grabbed the doctor's hand, stilling him.

"We must restrain her," Beast answered him, looking unhappy at the need but resolute at the same time. "If Carol should wake, no doubt she will be incensed – there is really no telling what she may do. I assure you this course of action is for her safety, as well as our own."

He hated the sight of the adamantium manacles locked onto Rogue's pale, delicate wrists… "Is dat really necessary?"

"I'm afraid so. I keep forgetting that you were not here when Carol and Rogue first waged war over control of her body – to say that Carol was quite a handful would be an understatement, and with the strength she has at her disposal, it is best that we limit the damage she can cause."

Stiffly the Cajun removed his hands, and Beast continued with his task of shackling the unconscious girl. When he was done he looked over at the younger mutant and gently suggested, "You look like you sorely need some sleep. Perhaps you should retire? She will likely not awaken for some time…"

"I'm not goin' anywhere," he said stubbornly, and reaching behind him, he pulled a chair over to the bedside and began his vigil.

Hank merely nodded, not at all surprised at his actions. "Very well. Goodnight, then – I will be back in the morning."

Remy didn't hear his words. He was completely focused on the still girl in the bed, and her small hand as he held it in his. She seemed so fragile, so gentle like this… While he enjoyed seeing the many different facets to Rogue, he couldn't enjoy this – not when it meant something was wrong. She should have been awake, taunting and teasing him, hell, even yelling at him! Anything would be welcome, if only she would return…

But she didn't. He remained in place, watching her carefully, searching for some sign that she was stirring – a murmur, a twitch, anything! Yet none came, and all Remy could do was stay by Rogue's side, continuing to hold her hand as he eventually slipped into slumber beside her.

* * *

As if there weren't enough reasons to dislike Carol, I just had to go and add more to the pot, didn't I?

**Next chapter** – Rogue finally comes back, but is quite confused at the situation she finds herself in…

Please go straight to the review screen. Do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollars. ;)

Toodles,

– ish –


	31. Time

**Disclaimer:** Not mine, blah blah blah…

**A/N:** Well, I did it again – as usual, I wrote more than I expected! This chapter was outlined very nicely, but it turned out to be too long once I actually churned it out, so I split it in half. That means you all get an extra chapter – hope you don't mind! But before we get to that, here's the first bit of it. Enjoy!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 31 – Time**

_**April 2006**_

She heaved a hefty sigh and slammed her book shut. It was dull reading in the mindscape, since her library was completely composed of novels she had previously read. As much as she loved Anne Rice, there were only so many times she could read _Interview with a Vampire_ before she simply couldn't take it anymore!

Placing it back onto the shelf, Rogue grumbled quietly to herself and ran a gloved hand over the spines of the other volumes. She didn't particularly feel like reading (or _re_reading, technically), but she didn't have much else to do. Her unconscious wasn't the most exciting of places – at least she only had to spend a month in it at a time.

However, this latest turn seemed to be dragging on forever. Rogue had never thought of herself as especially impatient, but lately that had begun to change. She wanted to switch back already! She was tired of wandering around aimlessly, of leafing through books she already knew the endings to, of having conversations with people who wouldn't have any recollection of their discussion back in the real world…

Leaving her room, the Southerner began meandering down the hall, listening to the soft chatter of the psyches around her. Like in the actual Institute, there was hardly a moment of silence. She smirked to herself as she continued along the corridor. Who else would consider hearing voices in her head to be a sign of normalcy? But the quiet prattle let her know that everything was fine. It was reassuring at least, it usually was. Yet over the past few days they'd been ruffling her feathers. Perhaps it was because her month was nearly up? She often got antsy toward the end.

When she reached the main staircase that lead down to the foyer, the girl stopped and leaned against the railing, deciding to watch the psyches mill about below. Like its actual counterpart, the entranceway of her mental mansion was usually bustling with activity – people were always roaming through, since the psyches were full of energy. Jamie ran about playing hide-and-seek with his multiples, Kurt was making his way to the kitchen, Sam and Bobby headed to lounge about in the den… Amara and Jubilee walked by behind her, deeply immersed in whatever the latest gossip was, and a few minutes later Rahne ran by in her wolf form, bounding down the stairs and sliding across the tiled floor.

She had to admit, her irritation was mounting. Whereas in the real world she would be able to leave the Institute to get some air, she couldn't now. Neither could the psyches, and that was part of the problem. Being surrounded by them day in and day out (not that she could really tell when one day began and another ended) was fraying her nerves!

But there wasn't much she could do, except wait. So she did.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed in that spot, resting against the banister and gazing down at the entrance hall, yet not really seeing anything. She just stood still and let the elaborate world in her mind rush by her, like the outside world was doing at the same time.

In her daze, she vaguely heard somebody calling her name. Slowly straightening up, as if drowsily waking from a dream, Rogue struggled to regain focus. Blinking, she looked to the floor below her, and then down the hallways to her sides.

"Rogue?"

She frowned at the quiet voice, which sounded like an echo from far away. Some shadows were milling about in the distance, but nobody stepped forward towards her. Who wanted to talk to her?

"Rogue, can y' hear me?"

Remy! Rogue tried to ignore how her heart leapt at that realization, telling herself it was only because she could finally have a decent conversation now. If anybody could divert her attention from being stuck in the mindscape, it was the swamp rat. "Ah'm here!" she called out in return, beginning to make her way down the staircase.

No response came, and suddenly she froze mid-step. No, that wasn't right…

She'd never absorbed Remy. There was no way she could be hearing his voice, because he wasn't trapped in there with her.

Then that couldn't have been his voice, she rationalized. She had probably imagined it. Great, that spoke volumes about her mental state… But the next second she heard him again. He still wasn't very loud, and he seemed to be cutting in and out, like a cell phone with bad reception, but she made out, "…I wish y'… back…"

Rogue's brow furrowed in confusion. What was going on? Where was he? If he wasn't inside her mind, logically that meant he had to be outside – but then how would she be able to hear him? It didn't make any sense.

His voice wasn't like that of the other psyches – theirs were constant, whereas his seemed to fade in and out. She tried to follow it, hoping to pinpoint where it was coming from, but that was difficult when only a broken word or two could be made out. She kept descending the stairs, almost tripping on a few steps as her gaze wandered around, trying to detect some sort of anomaly, anything out of the ordinary that could provide a clue as to what was happening. Nothing could be seen, but when she reached the ground floor the Cajun's speech seemed louder.

Her stare shifted to the main entrance to the mansion. Tilting her head and eyeing them inquisitively, she slowly approached the massive oak doors. Placing an ear to them, she nearly jumped when his words boomed from the other side. She'd been hearing unusual noises coming from outside lately, but there had never been any voices before.

"…It's hell just sittin'… waitin'…"

Waiting for what? For her to come back? She couldn't help the small, pleased smile that crossed her lips at that. It was sweet of him to miss her, and she could reciprocate, but he knew perfectly well that she had to wait for her month to run out! Almost her own bizarre version of purgatory, she mused, thinking back to how she'd flipped through Dante a while ago.

Rogue stepped back from the door, but now began to worry. If she was somehow able to hear Remy now, did that mean something was wrong? This had never happened before, so she had no idea what it could mean.

"Is something the matter, child?" Ororo serenely spoke from behind her, beginning her descent down the grand staircase.

"Did yah hear him?" Rogue asked her, almost desperately. Maybe it really _was_ her mind playing tricks on her… Then again, asking a mere shade of her mind couldn't provide her with a real answer, could it?

"Who, Remy?" the weather witch questioned. "Yes, of course. He sounds somewhat stressed, does he not?"

"Ah wonder what he wants..."

The older woman raised a shoulder in an elegant shrug and said, "Perhaps you should go and see?" before heading on her way down an adjacent hall.

He _did_ sound stressed… Her curiosity had completely taken over by now (along with another feeling all the more foreboding, but she was doing her best to ignore that), and she wanted to find out what was going on! …But she couldn't. Carol hadn't come back yet, and she simply couldn't barge outside and start yet _another_ problem with her. She would undoubtedly be furious at Rogue for cutting her shift in her body short.

Then a harrowing thought popped into her mind – Remy wouldn't be saying those things to Carol! He had specifically spoken Rogue's name – why would he do that in front of the other girl? Something _had_ to be wrong…

She turned back to the door and reached out for the handle, but paused before her hand could grip it. What if she was overreacting? What if her cabin fever was getting the best of her?

"Go already," Logan encouraged gruffly, suddenly speaking up from behind her as he passed through the entranceway. "We've been in here long enough."

Rogue watched him stride away into the heart of the mansion, and then nodded to herself. He was right, this month was dragging on forever and she was sick of it! Something had probably happened – and if not… Well, then she'd find a way to make it up to Carol later. But for now, she was determined to discover what was going on. Grabbing the handle, she yanked the door open and stepped outside.

- X -

It was like swimming, she distractedly thought as she began to return to consciousness. Like diving underwater, where everything was dim and dulled, with muffled sound and vision, and then suddenly floating back up to breach the surface, everything rushing past as the light and noise all come back.

Blinking rapidly, Rogue's eyes adjusted to the brightness around her. Fluorescent lighting? That wasn't right. What happened to the warm beams of sunlight lazily streaming into her bedroom? As focus came back to her and she slowly began to make out her surroundings, she then realized she was in the med lab.

She _hated_ the med lab.

With a start she tried to sit up, but for some reason it was impossible. "What th' hell?"

After she spoke, a voice beside her incredulously cried out, "_Chère_!" but she barely acknowledged Remy's presence. Instead she began to panic. She couldn't move her arms or legs, she was tied down somehow… It reminded her of the lab, and the experiments, and the scientists leering over her. She valiantly tried to struggle, tried to get out of there – she had to escape before she killed someone else!

"Easy, Rogue!" the Cajun's voice cried, but she paid it little attention over her thrashing. "Calm down, I'll take off de restraints, just relax!"

A few seconds later (although it seemed much longer to Rogue) there came the sound of metal tinkering against metal, and the cuff around her right wrist was released. The others soon followed, and the girl flew off the bed and whirled around, striving to regain her bearings.

"Rogue? _Chère_? Take a few deep breaths," Remy requested soothingly, putting away the lock pick he held and extending his hands out openly, in a non-threatening manner. "Y're fine, everythin's okay…"

It was only then that his presence truly registered. That mere fact alone began to pacify her, so she finally did as he suggested, breathing in deeply and trying to quell the dread that had built up in her stomach. She was fine, she was in the mansion, she was back in her body… But she felt dog-tired, like she'd run a marathon. Stumbling back over to the bed, she plopped down onto it before taking her first good look at the Cajun. What she saw surprised her – he looked exhausted too, with bags under his eyes and a few days' worth of stubble coating his jaw.

"Yah look like hell, swamp rat," she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Oddly enough, he merely grinned at that. "_Merde_, it's good t' hear y' call me dat again!" he exclaimed, clasping her bare hand in his gloved one.

He hadn't bantered back like she'd been expecting – rather, there was palpable relief. Now she was confused as ever, but also somewhat suspicious. "Okay… What's goin' on? Why are yah actin' like it's been ages since yah last saw me?"

The grin slid off his face immediately. "Well…"

"Well what? What am Ah doin' in the med lab, Remy? What happened?"

The thief grimaced, before lowly muttering, "We had a problem."

Yes, she'd figured that… "What kinda problem?"

He sighed, looking away momentarily before turning back and tentatively meeting her gaze. "Carol wouldn't switch y' back."

She blinked. She'd heard what he said, she understood the separate meanings of the words, but when put together in that sentence they simply didn't make any sense to her. "Excuse me?"

"She wouldn't give up control, _chère_. I went t' see y' at de start o' April an' it was still her," he explained carefully, still grasping her hand.

It was a comforting feeling, seemingly bracing her as she tried to process the disturbing information he was feeding her. "Yah're kiddin'…"

"I wish. It was a nasty shock, let me tell y'."

At first, small part of her felt relieved at receiving some answers – so she wasn't crazy, she _had_ been in her mind longer than she was supposed to be! But that positive feeling was quickly eclipsed when fear seized her and she cried, "Oh Gawd, how long was Ah gone?" News stories of people waking from decades-long comas suddenly began flitting around her mind. She obviously hadn't been out of commission for that amount of time, but it was still a disconcerting feeling, waking up and not knowing what day it was or what had happened. She felt off-balance…

"It's only been about two an' a half weeks," Gambit told her, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "It's mid-April now."

"Okay," she inhaled slowly, needing to ease her racing mind. She counted to five, and then ten, but it didn't help much. "Okay… So, why? Why would she do that?" It would be naïve to think that Carol had been completely satisfied with their arrangement, but she'd thought it had been working out well for them. It was the only fair thing they'd been able to agree upon, and it had kept the peace (well, _relative_ peace) thus far…

Rogue was stunned when the other mutant grinned in response. "Believe it o' not, but dere's some good news dat comes along wit' dis… I was finally able t' end t'ings wit' Carol."

Her head shot up at that and she gasped. "Really? _How_?" He had to be joking… But he wouldn't tease her about something like that, would he?

He quickly told her the story, including both the actual breakup and the earlier mall encounter – and despite her feelings of shock mere moments before, she soon began laughing. It felt good, refreshing in a way, and was even more amusing when it resulted in him scowling. "Hey, it ain't nice t' make fun o' my traumatizin' experience! I swear, seein' Belle an' Carol together made my heart stop…"

"Yah have to admit, it's pretty funny," Rogue replied good-naturedly, things now making much more sense. "So lemme guess – Carol's pissed at her relationship goin' kaput an' decided to get her revenge by not givin' my body back?"

"Got it in one, _chère_. She wouldn't switch back an' de _Professeur_ couldn't get past y'r psyches t' do it, so we had t' wait until y' came back y'rself. But Carol started actin' up in de meantime, so he had t' leave her knocked out," he explained, and then needlessly added, "Which nobody really minded."

She nodded sluggishly, processing that. This was a lot to wake up to…

"An' we've been waitin' f'r y' ever since. Glad I was here when y' woke up, I worried dat it might happen durin' de Danger Room sessions Wolvie keeps draggin' me off t'," Remy went on, with a bit of sheepishness.

Rogue's cheeks flushed slightly at that. "Yah were here th' whole time?"

He nodded. "Pretty much. De others stopped by a lot too, but I couldn't bring myself t' leave."

"Were yah… Were yah talkin' to me?"

Remy cocked his head curiously to the side as he stared at her, but answered in the affirmative. "_Oui_… I heard dat people in comas can hear when dey're talked t', so I thought it couldn't hurt. …Why? Did y' hear me?"

She didn't reply, only smiled mysteriously and gripped his hands tighter in hers. "Thank yah, Remy."

She'd anticipated that he would grin and reply flippantly, maybe even make some sort of innuendo, but instead he frowned and appeared to close in on himself. "Yah shouldn't be thankin' me, _chère_…" he murmured, withdrawing his hands from her grasp and running them agitatedly through his ruffled hair.

"Why?" she wondered, leaning forward and trying to catch his gaze, which was roving around the room and focusing anywhere but on her. His discomfort was obvious, and it began to make her uneasy.

Remy grimaced, and he must have found a particularly interesting part of the bed sheet, as his eyes locked onto it and refused to meet hers. "Dis was all my fault…"

"What? Remy, no!" the girl cried, her voice insistent. Had he been beating himself up over this the entire time she'd been gone? "Oh sugah, don't blame yourself fo' Carol bein' a bitch! She did what she did an' yah can't change that, but Ah'm fine now, so yah can stop frettin' about it!"

Her words didn't seem to lift his spirits any. She reached out, meaning to grasp his chin and direct his scrutiny at her, but stopped abruptly when she saw she had no gloves on. Remy noticed her halted motion, and it only seemed to make him all the more morose. Intently staring at her bare limb for a while longer, he suddenly straightened up. "Rogue, dere's somethin' I have t' tell y'…" he said, reluctantly but firmly.

Her stomach fluttered ominously, somehow sensing that this was something serious, but she forced herself to say, "Okay, what is it?"

Remy opened his mouth, but before so much as a syllable could be uttered, noises came from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Xavier wheeling himself into the med lab. "Rogue, awake at last! It is good to see you, my dear."

"Hi Professor," she greeted him cordially. "It's nice to be back. Uh, even if Ah didn't really know Ah was supposed to be back yet... If that makes any sense."

"I believe I understand what you mean," he chuckled wryly, rolling through the room to stop beside the chair Remy had taken up residence in.

The thief's mouth had snapped shut and he seemed uncomfortable again. It made her insanely curious as to what he could possibly have to tell her, but Rogue knew he wouldn't do so as long as the Professor remained in the room. She would simply have to wait, because it looked like the telepath was gearing up for a lengthy discussion. "Rogue, I know you may still be overwhelmed and confused about what occurred, but I was hoping I could ask you a few questions. There were some… peculiarities I noticed when I entered your mind that I hoped I might be able to make sense of."

Peculiarities? She assumed that was a tactful way of saying that something was wrong – and if it was, then she didn't really have much of a choice other than telling him what he wanted to know, did she? "Ask away, Ah guess."

"Wonderful," he nodded. "First of all, did you notice anything out of the ordinary during your stay in the mind?"

Rogue shook her head. "No, everythin' was like it always is."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it was the same as every month. Ah got to th' mansion, Carol an' Ah switched, an' Ah spent the rest o' the month millin' about with th' psyches, bored out o' my mind," she explained. "Oh! Except that Ah heard some weird noises outside – like somethin' thrashin' about."

"That was most likely Carol, angry after I was forced to subdue her," he speculated, not seeming to find that piece of information particularly important. After a beat he proceeded, "Did the specific mechanics of the switch progress as usual?"

"Well, yeah. Ah came to th' mansion, an' then Carol left."

"Left how?" he continued to interrogate intently.

"Through the front door, like usual," Rogue replied, slightly baffled. She had absolutely no clue what the significance of these queries was (and judging from the confused face Remy had on as he watched their back-and-forth, neither did he), but she supposed the Professor had to have some sort of idea in order to be posing them.

"And what of the inverse process, when you reclaim your body?" he pressed on, rather urgently.

"Usually Carol comes in through th' door an' then Ah leave th' same way… Except this time, when Ah just got fed up an' went through th' door without waitin' fo' her."

She had seen that expression often enough to know that it meant he was turning something over in that vast mind of his, but he didn't let on anything about it. He only murmured, "Interesting… And you were unable to correctly keep track of the passing of time, correct?"

"That's right. Ah felt impatient an' thought my turn had to be over soon, but Ah couldn't tell fo' sure."

"But you were aware of being in your mind? That is to say, you were not confused about whether you were still in the mindscape or not?" He was eagerly leaning forward in his wheelchair now, seeming quite enraptured to hear whatever her answer would be.

Rogue raised a brow. What kind of a question was that? "Of course not! Ah mean, Ah got there an' Ah hadn't switched back yet, so Ah knew it couldn't be th' real world."

"Indeed," the Professor spoke quietly, mostly to himself, as he steepled his fingers together. A brief flash of what could have been triumph flitted over his face, but it was gone so quickly that Rogue wondered if she had imagined it. He was no doubt deeply immersed in pondering over something, but he didn't reveal what – he only raised his head and said, "Thank you Rogue, that was most helpful. I have some theories, but I believe I should discuss their plausibility with Dr. McCoy before I divulge them. If you two would excuse me?"

With that Xavier steered himself out of the med bay, and when the sliding doors shut with a soft swish, a bewildered Rogue finally asked, "What do yah think that was about?"

"No clue," Remy shrugged nonchalantly, yet she could sense the conversation had intrigued him more than he let on. "Sometimes it's best t' let de geniuses do their t'ing, henh?"

"Ah guess," she agreed, albeit halfheartedly. She wanted answers, was that so much to ask? It was her life, her body, and her mind, after all – she had a right to know what was going on! And that reminded her… "Hey, so what was it yah wanted to say earlier?"

Gambit tensed again, and the grimness he displayed gave Rogue the rather evident hint that things didn't bode well. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all, and not have reminded him? No, that wasn't the way to think – she didn't consider ignorance to be bliss.

But after he took a deep, bracing breath and blurted out, "Carol can touch!" she had to wonder whether to amend that statement or not.

Initially, she didn't think she had heard him right. She couldn't have. It was only after she asked him to repeat that, and he elaborated, "Carol can control y'r powers" that her mind began to process it.

She thought the bed must have disappeared beneath her, because suddenly she felt as if she were falling – but it wasn't the pleasant kind of falling, like the thrill that came from flying with her borrowed powers. Instead it was accompanied by horror, of not knowing where the ground was beneath her, of flailing wildly in attempts to grab onto something, _anything_…

Answers, something in her mind prompted, would be a good thing to latch onto. Rogue didn't know how she managed to find her voice, but she heard herself rasp and ask, "What do yah… But… How?"

She heard him speak in a low, repentant tone, but her eyes were unfocused, not taking in the apologetic expression on his face. "I don't know how, _chère_, she wouldn't tell me. I found out when she kissed me, an' I tried t' get her t' tell me, but she wouldn't. I'm _so_ sorry f'r keepin' it from y', but –"

The fact that Carol had kissed him probably should have jolted the Southerner out of her daze, but it only joined the swirling vortex of confusion in her mind, and another word stirred her in its place. "Sorry? Yah're _sorry_?" she cried, glaring at him. "Yeah, yah're always sorry, aren't yah, Remy? Lord, how many secrets does this make? Ah've lost count! Yah know, Ah can understand yah keepin' those other ones close to th' vest to save yo' own ass, but how could yah not tell me this? What justification could yah _possibly_ have? Do yah have any idea how much it means to me?"

"I _do_ know!" the Cajun insisted earnestly, rising from his seat. "I wanted t' tell y', but I thought it'd be best if I didn't!"

She gaped at him. "How could that be fo' the best?"

"Because I didn't want t' rub it in y'r face dat Carol could do what y' couldn't!" he explained desperately, inching closer to her, but freezing when she only backed away in response. "I tried t' find out how she managed it, but she wouldn't tell me – I didn't t'ink dere was a point in tellin' y' before I knew it would help!"

"Ah had a right to know!" Rogue shouted, her fists clenching in anger. That Carol had somehow managed to subdue her absorption powers when she couldn't was brutal, but in truth the fact barely registered at that moment – it was the principle of the thing that mattered! "It's _my_ body, shouldn't I know what goes on with it?"

"I agree y' have a right t' know, but nothin' was goin' on wit' it den!" Remy insisted, before his arms fell to his sides in defeat. "An' dat's why I'm tellin' y' now."

She was fairly certain her heart skipped a beat right then, tripping over itself in nervousness. "What do yah mean?" she demanded warily.

"Somethin' happened…" he began vaguely, shifting discreetly back and forth on his feet in an action that belied his anxiety – yet he couldn't possibly feel more than she did, her nerves rapidly coiling up inside of her, ready to spring. "An' I don't want t' tell y' because it isn't good news, but I feel I have t', since somethin' has t' be done about it."

"_What_?" she ground out impatiently.

The thief winced as he revealed, "Two an' half weeks ago I followed her t' a club. She met up wit' some kid dere, who was apparently her new boyfriend. I walked in on dem in de bathroom…"

"Doin' what?" she scratched out, voice cracking. She already felt sick…

"Kissin'," he informed her, but he spat it out as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth.

Rogue reeled at that. She took multiple deep breaths, trying to calm herself down… But something in Remy's tone told her there was more to it than that, although she wasn't sure she really wanted to know. "Is that it?" she whispered apprehensively.

"Dat's it."

It was only the slightest of flinches, so miniscule that it was barely perceptible, but she had somehow noticed it. She couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not, and before she could she found herself speaking again. "Tell me th' rest, Remy…"

He shook his head fervently. "Y' really don't need t' hear it, _chère_."

Probably not, but it was too late now. "Just tell me!" she insisted with a shout, sounding more sure than she really was.

Gambit closed his eyes in defeat. "Dey looked like dey weren't goin' t' stop at kissin'," he disclosed hollowly, "But I got dere in time."

He didn't have to go into any more detail. Rogue knew what he meant… She shot her arms out to steady herself, only to find out that she was already sitting down on the bed. If she hadn't been, surely the jelly-like consistency of her knees would have sent her plummeting to the ground. As it was, that was sort of what she felt like at the moment.

She couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was she was feeling, there were too many sentiments running through her and fighting for dominance. There was shock, upset, betrayal, hurt, anger, fear, disgust… The wheel of emotions kept spinning, but it finally seemed to settle on one: violation. She felt used, she felt dirty…

Rogue didn't want to admit it to herself, but her powers had afforded her a sense of security. Despite the stranglehold they held upon her, at least they ensured that Carol wouldn't be able to do anything too rash when she took control of her body… Or at least, that was what she had thought. It had been like a security system, extra assurance that she wouldn't be harmed when in the hands of somebody she didn't entirely trust – but apparently, that peace of mind had never truly existed in the first place.

Maybe ignorance was bliss after all?

How could this have happened? She didn't understand how Carol could do something so callous, she didn't understand how Remy could keep something so grave a secret from her… It was too overwhelming, and all Rogue could think to do was curl up on the bed and bury her face in her hands.

Over the sounds of her harsh breaths, she could hear Remy inch closer and felt him place a tentative hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, _chère_. I swear I thought it was f'r de best…"

"It wasn't yo' decision to make!" she snapped, shaking him off of her. "What if she had…" She couldn't bear to say it, but she knew he got the message. "What if she'd done somethin' else? Would yah have told me then?"

"She _didn't_ do anythin' else," he stressed, reaching for her again and rubbing slow circles over her back, trying to soothe her. "Nothin' more happened, not den an' not before dat – everythin's fine now."

"No, everythin's not fine!" Rogue exploded, throwing her hands up into the air, "Because not only do Ah find out Carol's whorin' around in my body, but somehow she can touch an' Ah can't! Ah don't get it! Ah can't win, can Ah?"

The world wasn't a fair place. She was well aware of that already, but it seemed that the unfairness kept piling up on her for some reason. Why was that? Why was it that she always seemed to get the short end of the stick? She tried to be decent, she tried to do right, and yet Carol, with her lies and deceptions, reaped the rewards. How was it that a stranger and invader in Rogue's body could control her powers instantly whereas she had been struggling with them for years?

"Don't look at it dat way," Remy tried to convince her. "T'ink of it like dis: if Carol can do it, y' can do it too, henh?"

"Yeah right," Rogue muttered. "Ah've tried it all, Ah still couldn't get it. An' this cheerin' me up ain't working, Remy – Ah'm still pissed at yah." Hell, pissed was a gross understatement. Yet another secret he'd kept from her was revealed, and this one hurt the most because he hadn't been hiding his own actions, but _hers_.

Even in the face of her rage, his stubbornness shone through. "I'll just have t' keep tryin' den, won't I?" he retorted, before slipping into a more sombre mode. "An' I was serious, _chère_. If Carol, who we both know ain't de brightest crayon in de box, can figure it out, I know y' will too. I _know_ y'll get it."

It was a declaration of faith, but for some reason it struck a different chord in Rogue. Binding to the pain she felt over Remy being duplicitous yet again, her insecurities came rushing back to the surface. Her jaw dropped and she uttered, "That's it, ain't it? All yo' insistin' that my powers didn't matter in startin' a relationship was because o' this! Yah knew Carol could touch, an' thought Ah would too!"

He staggered back a step at that. "_Quoi_? _Non_, how could y' t'ink dat?"

"Well, Ah don't know _what_ to think!" she cried, threading her fingers through her hair and pulling at the strands in frustration. It was all so overwhelming, she was getting a headache…

"_Chère_ …" Remy started again, slowly and softly as if approaching a startled animal, but he was interrupted by Xavier returning. Now he had the resident doctor in tow.

"Ah, Rogue, welcome back to the land of the cognizant once again!" Hank greeted her jovially, and she was glad for the interruption.

"Hi, Dr. McCoy," she inclined her head in his direction, while scooting over on the bed away from Remy. He noticed, setting his jaw and frowning, but said nothing.

While the large blue man scurried over to her bedside, checking her heartbeat and other vital signs and scribbling them down on his clipboard, Xavier politely inquired, "I hope we are not intruding on anything?" He had obviously picked up on the tension in the room between the two younger mutants, and Rogue guessed he wouldn't have had to be a telepath in order to do so.

"Not at all," she stated decisively, daring Remy to contradict. He didn't.

"Very well then," the Headmaster continued, clearly not believing her but not about to challenge her statement either. "Dr. McCoy and I were briefly able to confer on various theories regarding your mindscape and mental arrangements. There are some issues we need to discuss with you, however…" Glancing over at Remy and then back to Rogue, he asked, "Would you prefer some privacy?"

"Sure," she shrugged, but beside her Remy insisted, "What concerns her concerns me. I'd like t' stay."

She whipped her head around and glared at him, but he didn't budge, nor did he show any signs of relenting after she began muttering about obstinate swamp rats below her breath. Scowling, she gave in, not up for another quarrel right now – she would prefer to receive answers instead.

"Well," Beast began. "I am pleased to inform you that we have developed numerous promising ideas, but the fact of the matter is that they are just that – hypotheses not yet proven, or even tested."

Rogue frowned, his news not sounding too promising at all, but the Professor continued, "Needless to say, we are weary of proceeding and testing our speculations, since they could very well have negative repercussions. More data is required, and unfortunately we would need to speak to Carol to obtain some of the necessary information. However, that might also have dire consequences – it could very well enrage her once more and prompt another struggle for control."

"Ah see…" she sighed, tiredly leaning back onto the uncomfortable med bay pillows. "So Ah can either do nothin' an' fight with Carol over rights to my body, or Ah can let yah talk to her to try an' fix the situation, which could _also_ lead to us fightin' over my body?"

Hank paused in scribbling his notes, looking up over the rim of his glasses and favouring the girl with a wry smile. "As always, our Southern Belle has managed to summarize the situation succinctly!"

Xavier smiled sadly. "I'm afraid that is precisely the case, yes. Although I assure you, if you give me permission to enter your mind and speak to Carol, I will do everything in my power to prevent her from taking control again."

Privately, Rogue thought there wasn't much he could do on that count – after all, he hadn't been a great help in stopping the girl when it had happened before… But she supposed there wasn't really any other option. She was about to open her mouth and give her consent, but Remy spoke first. "I don't like dis," he declared loudly, and the other three all turned to stare at him.

"What did yah say?" she said flatly. It wasn't his call to make, was it?

"I don't like dis," he repeated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Carol's dead set on makin' t'ings go wrong f'r us, an' askin' f'r her help will only piss her off more. She'll try t' keep hurtin' Rogue, an' keepin' her around ain't worth de trouble! Isn't dere some way we could get rid o' her, or lock her up permanently or somethin'?"

On any other day she might have listened to him and been struck by how much his tirade indicated he cared for her – but not today. Not when she was still angry at him, and prejudiced against anything he had to say. Who was he to think he knew what was best for her?

"No!" she exclaimed adamantly, mirroring his posture. "Ah can't believe yah're even suggestin' that! It'd be like killin' her all over again, an' Ah already have _enough_ guilt over that from th' _first_ time around!"

"Guilt is a lousy t'ing t' let run y'r life, _chère_," he pointed out gravely.

"Oh, would yah like a selfish reason then? That's a language yah can understand," Rogue replied scathingly. "How about this – if we erase her or lock her away, then Ah can't get answers about controllin' my powers! An' that's the last thing yah want, ain't it?"

In her peripheral vision she saw the Professor and Dr. McCoy exchange bewildered glances, probably surprised that she now had knowledge of Carol's ability, but moreover they seemed perversely fascinated by the spat that was playing out in front of them.

"Dis was never about dat!" the Cajun yelled at the top of his lungs in aggravation, gripping the rails of the bed tightly and shaking them. "I'd rather have y' safe an' without control den able t' control y'r powers but stuck in y'r mind because o' it!"

She blinked, startled and taken aback at his intensity. She'd never heard him raise his voice like that, she'd never seen his eyes glow with so much fierce passion… He meant every word. She didn't want to admit it, but she was touched. However, before she could say anything, he kept on ranting. "An' besides, have y' forgotten what I just told y' about what Carl almost did? Do y' really t'ink she won't try dat again? We have t' prevent dat from happenin'! How can y' even _begin _t' trust her in y'r body after dat?"

Rogue opened her mouth to retort, but found she was unable to. How could she respond to that? Dammit, he had a point, she realized grudgingly.

Luckily, the Professor finally spoke up and prevented her from having to acknowledge it. "Any verdicts regarding such a permanent fate for Carol should not be taken lightly. They will need serious deliberation – in the meantime, I suggest we still attempt to give credence to the theories we were musing upon. It may turn out that they will shed new light on the exact situation in the mindscapes of both girls, thus allowing us to make further plans from there. Is that all right with you, Rogue?"

She frowned and stared down at her bare hands, as if they would provide her with the solution. Regrettably, they couldn't. She would have to make yet another hard decision herself… But she already knew what the answer would be. Ignoring the imploring expression on Remy's face, she nodded slightly. "Yeah… Ah have to try, at least."

Gambit opened his mouth to object once more, but she held up a hand. "It's my choice, Remy," she snapped, and then turned to the Professor. "Can we get this over with?"

"Of course," he assented, and wheeled over to the head of her bed. "If you would lie down, please? And try to relax. All I will do is enter your mind and attempt to contact Carol – if you could do your best to remain grounded, I feel fairly confident that she will not be able to usurp control."

The fact that he told her to relax somehow made her all the more nervous, but she followed his instructions and stretched out along the bed. Closing her eyes, she sensed the Professor's hands a hair's breadth away from her temples as he began the procedure. To her amazement, she also felt Remy's hand grab hers and squeeze lightly. There was even more astonishment, in both herself and the Cajun, when she squeezed back. That was one way to keep her grounded…

Rogue could feel the psychic's powers at work. They didn't hurt (unless you counted the headache she still had from earlier), but it had always been slightly disconcerting to feel that tingle in her head that signaled another mind was melding with it. She tried not to think about that, however, uncertain if her thoughts would distract the man or not. Instead she focused on the contours of Remy's fingers knotted with hers.

She couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it couldn't have been long before the Professor began to stir once more. He pulled away from her and she let out a sigh of relief. She was still there, that had to be a good sign… But glancing over at the telepath's face, she detected an odd air about him.

"What is it, Charles?" Beast asked.

"I'm not yet certain," he confessed, his brow furrowed deep in thought. "I did not actually reach Carol, for the psyches impeded my access again… Although it was different from when I entered Carol's mind. They were not as concentrated – in fact, they were roaming about freely…"

"Really?" questioned Hank, perking up as he obviously came to some sort of conclusion from the news. "How intriguing…"

"Indeed," the telepath agreed. "This may provide some of the answers we were looking for… If you don't mind, Rogue, may we perhaps try this again tomorrow? I feel we should give you more time to rest, and by then Dr. McCoy and I should be able to elaborate more fully upon our ideas."

It was slightly annoying to know they would be talking about her and the inner workings of her mind without enlightening her to their theories, but at this point Rogue couldn't bring herself to object. Not only was she feeling tired, but that damned headache seemed like it was getting worse and worse.

"Sure," she grunted, bringing a hand up to massage her forehead. "Whatever yah want…"

"Are y' okay, _chère_?" Remy queried anxiously, which prompted Xavier and Beast to pause in their exit from the lab and glance back inquiringly.

"Ah'm fine," Rogue claimed, not wanting more fussing over her. "Only a headache…"

But as soon as she said those words, she knew it wasn't true. The pain increased tenfold, making her clutch her head and shriek in agony. She'd had a few migraines before that felt like nails were being hammered into her skull, but this was more like a jackhammer had come along and decided to demolish her brain.

"Rogue!" she heard Gambit call out, but he sounded very far away. Everything went dark for a moment, her vision flickering out of focus before coming back an instant later, but the only thing she could fixate on was the unbearable pain. Eventually, it was just too much – she let out an excruciating scream, and Remy's panicked face was the last thing she saw before everything faded away.

* * *

Oh no, what's happening to poor Rogue now? I just can't give her a break, can I?

**Next chapter** – a confrontation, a solution, and a goodbye…

Okay all, here's the deal. There are only two more chapters left, which should make all of us pretty happy. But gosh, know what would make me absolutely ecstatic? If we could break the 1000 review mark! That's my new goal in life, and I'll need your help to achieve it. I know it sounds like a lot to ask, but thanks to the stats counter, I know there are a ton of you lurking out there that aren't reviewing! So, my question is… what's stopping you? Leave me a few words, whether they be a mere 'howdy' or a pleading 'update soon'! …Pretty please? It would mean so much to me!

Toodles,

– ish –


	32. Solution

**Disclaimer:** Guess what! I… still don't own the X-Men.

**A/N:** Wow! First of all, can I just say how utterly impressed (and flattered) I was by the amount of reviews I got for the last chapter? The most yet, huzzah! It appears that heartfelt pleading does the trick… Thanks so much to every single person that reviewed! You all definitely deserve a reward, so voila, an uber quick update! Here it is, the penultimate chapter…

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 32 – Solution**

_**April 2006**_

As soon as the girl seized her head and yelped in pain, Remy was instantly at her side. "Rogue!" he shouted anxiously, wondering what was happening now. She had seemed fine a second ago, what could have happened since then?

She looked at up him for a second as she tried to catch her breath. What he saw made him jerk back in surprise – as if the expression of unbearable agony on her face wasn't disturbing enough, he could have sworn that for the briefest of instances her green eyes had flashed blue…

The Cajun grabbed her hand, squeezing tightly and murmuring encouragements to her, to hang on and be strong, but he doubted she could hear his words over the excruciating scream she then emitted. It was the most chilling thing he had ever heard – because it sounded like two voices, perfectly synchronized in their suffering…

Despite his intense worry for her, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relief when Rogue received some respite from her torture, passing out and falling backwards onto the pillows behind her. He ran an unsteady hand over her forehead, covered with tiny beads of sweat, before turning to the Professor and Dr. McCoy and asking shakily, "What was dat?"

"It seems Carol is attempting to take control once again," Xavier said, watching his student worriedly from his place at the foot of her bed while the doctor bustled about and examined her vital signs. With a defeated expression on his face, he disappointedly added, "We simply have not gotten through to her at all."

"I believe it was George Bernard Shaw who said, 'Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves'," Hank quoted as he began attaching recording electrodes to Rogue's motionless body. "And I fear that young Ms. Danvers will not be particularly receptive to reason at this time."

"When is she ever?" Remy grumbled, before gazing down at Rogue with a sigh. "So what now? Can't y' try t' go in dere again an' bring Rogue back?"

"I'm afraid not," the telepath admitted reluctantly. "The mindscape is currently quite fragile with both girls vying for dominance, not to mention the psyches impeding my access. Forcing my way inside at this time would be extremely dangerous – my actions could very well cause a vast amount of damage. Unfortunately, we will have to wait once more."

Gambit scowled at the answer. It seemed that was all he'd been doing lately…

He watched silently as Beast grimly refastened the adamantium restraints to Rogue's wrists and ankles. Then he pulled the chair he'd spent most of the past two weeks in towards her, and sat down once more. He hoped this latest episode wouldn't last as long, for her sake more than his, but he was fully prepared to endure another bedside vigil.

- X -

After abruptly finding herself back in the mists of her mindscape, Rogue had barely regained her bearings when suddenly she was shoved down from behind. Hitting the ground and rolling through the fog that flowed over it, she finally came to a stop sprawled on her back. Looking up, she could make out the vague outlines of the psyches wandering about in the distance. They shouldn't be there, she thought with a frown, but before she could wonder why they were, a more important issue presented itself – above her, Carol stood glaring dangerously.

"What the hell do yah think yah're doin'?" Rogue exclaimed, hauling herself back up to her feet, but as she stood the other girl threw a punch. Surprised, she barely managed to bound back and dodge it, crying out, "What is yo' problem?"

"You! You're my problem!" Carol shrieked wildly, before aiming another fist her way. "And I've had enough of being nice about it!"

"Nice?" Rogue laughed in disbelief while jumping out of the raging girl's way. "Yah call takin' over my month _nice_?"

"You call stealing my boyfriend nice?" she retorted, pausing in her erratic attack to place her hands on her hips.

"Okay, first of all, Ah didn't set out to steal him, an' –"

"Oh, shut up with your high and mighty excuses, I don't buy them for a second! You've stolen _everything_ from me – my life, my body, and then Remy!" the blonde screeched, lunging at the object of her scorn again.

The Southerner dove aside, letting her fly by harmlessly, before turning on her heel and blurting out, "Will yah listen to yo'self? Gawd, what does it take to get through to yah? It was an _accident_, all of it! Ah couldn't help what happened in th' lab, an' Ah couldn't help that Remy developed feelin's fo' me! It just _happened_, an' yah have to learn to live with it!"

All that resentment had been building up inside of her for quite some time. She'd never voiced it, afraid to disturb the tentative peace that existed between herself and Carol – but now that the other girl had taken the first step in dissolving their agreement, Rogue felt she could finally speak more candidly. It certainly felt good to get all that out!

Yet the blonde didn't share in those feelings of relief. "Oh, I'll live with it, all right – but I won't live with _you_!" she declared, stomping her foot on the ground irately. The thud echoed eerily across the mindscape, but dissipated immediately when she then yelled, "I've had it with this body sharing crap!"

"Excuse me?" Rogue gaped, astounded at her egocentrism. "How can yah be so ungrateful about it? Did yah know that Ah stopped th' Professor from erasin' yah? Ah gave up half my time so yah could live again, why isn't that enough fo' yah?"

"Do you think I could actually be grateful to the bitch that killed me? As if!" Carol scoffed, before pointing a manicured finger at her accusingly. "You only agreed to this whole thing out of guilt, and guess what – it isn't anywhere _near_ enough. An eye for an eye, Roguey – you took my body, now I'm going to take yours."

She shook her head firmly and warningly said, "Ah do feel guilty about what Ah did to yah, but yo' attitude is definitely testin' my goodwill."

"Oh really?" the other mutant snorted, before bringing a hand to her mouth as she gasped melodramatically. "Ooh, maybe Roguey isn't as perfect and saintly as everyone thinks!"

"Ah never claimed to be," she defended herself. "Ah just tried to do th' right thing, an' it ain't my fault if yah were too busy wallowin' in yo' own angst to see that!"

"_Me_, walllowing in _my_ angst? Like you should talk, Little Miss Goth Girl! Oh boo-hoo, I can't touch people, everybody feel sorry for me," she bemoaned sarcastically, before an evil glint flashed in her eyes and she snidely smiled. "I don't know why you even _want_ your body back – what kind of life could you really live when you can't touch anybody? At least _I'd _get some use out of it…"

In an odd turnaround, Rogue was suddenly glad Remy had divulged that rather vital piece of information earlier. How would she have reacted to Carol's revelation if she hadn't already been informed about it? Probably with disbelief, confusion, and upset – exactly the sort of response she'd been hoping for, no doubt. Rogue wasn't going to give her the satisfaction, she was determined not to let Carol bother her any more than she already was.

Forcing her features not to display any jealousy or outrage, she coolly retorted, "Yeah, Ah heard all about that. Too bad Remy doesn't _want_ yah touching him though…"

She saw the hurt flash through Carol's eyes at that barb, before they narrowed in a venomous glare. "Oh yeah? Like he'd want you touching him either!" she snapped back. "You're a _vampire_ – you'd suck out his soul, just like you did with me!"

Rogue tried not to flinch at that. She hated that word… But before she could rebut, Carol continued ranting.

"You can't touch him, but _I_ can – and I _did_. You could never even kiss him! Which is too bad, because I have, and let me tell you, he is one _hell_ of a kisser," she taunted, slowly sauntering up to Rogue, recounting the memory in a husky, sensuous voice that made her wince. "His lips were _so_ soft, and he tasted like spices… And he was so warm, with his body fitting perfectly against mine and his hands all over me… And the things he could do with that tongue! I swear, it was almost enough to make me–"

She couldn't take any more. Before Carol could finish that thought, Rogue punched her squarely in the jaw. To her surprise, the girl clutched at it and laughed.

"Oh, what's the matter? Did I hit a nerve?" she cooed, before chuckling disdainfully. Then she slowly began circling the other mutant, eyeing her with a predatory gleam. "It bothers you, doesn't it? And it should – I mean, why on earth would a man like Remy, who could have _any_ woman in the world, want a girl he could never touch?"

Rogue had asked herself that very same question more times than she could count, but she wasn't about to let Carol know that. The girl _had_ touched a nerve, but it had the opposite effect of what she'd surely intended. Instead of disheartening her, it actually motivated her – what could be better than proving her wrong, by taking back control of her body and smugly showing that her and Remy could succeed at having a relationship?

She'd had enough of their arguing. With a new zeal she lunged at Carol, fully intent on ending their scuffle.

- X -

He hadn't needed to wait long at all. Less than half an hour after Rogue had lapsed into unconsciousness, Remy thought he detected the briefest flicker of her eyelids. Quickly shuffling to the edge of his seat, he scrutinized her carefully before checking to see if anybody else had noticed. However, nobody else was in the lab, as he realized that Xavier and Beast had retreated to the doctor's office to continue their brainstorming session. He hadn't even noticed their departure in the lost daze he'd been sitting in.

Returning his attention to Rogue, he suddenly felt an indescribable sense of relief when he saw that the movement hadn't simply been wishful thinking. The girl was definitely coming around, albeit slowly. She had yet to open her eyes, and he hoped with every fibre of his being that they would be those gorgeous emeralds.

"Rogue? _Chère_, can y' hear me?" he began to talk, figuring if his drawl brought her back to him before, perhaps it could work again.

There was a groan in response, but it was so low and husky that he couldn't discern whose voice it was in. Thankfully, the next second her eyelids fluttered open and he saw green. The Cajun couldn't remember ever feeling so thankful – if he hadn't already been seated, surely his knees would have given out.

Gently leaning over and clasping her hand, he forced himself to calmly ask, "Are y' okay, _chère_?" He had a million other questions running through his head about what she had just gone through, but the last thing he wanted to do was overwhelm her.

"Gawd, my head is killin' me…" She groaned again, trying to burrow into the pillow, yet somehow she still managed to hoarsely joke, "Did yah get th' number o' the truck that hit me?"

Remy wanted to tease her in return, but couldn't bring himself to do it. "Goes by de name o' Carol," he spat out, his muscles tensing involuntarily.

Rogue sighed, wincing – he wasn't sure if that was because of the pain she felt or because of her situation with the other girl. "She ain't too happy with me right about now."

"I could say de same t'ing in regards t' her," he retorted resentfully.

He'd watched the Mississippian enough to have learned her little tics and habits, and he knew that whenever she felt things spiraling out of control like this she would nervously tuck her hair behind her ear. She tried to do so now, but when she attempted to move her arm the restraints held it in place. She stared down at them with a grimace, and he instantly withdrew a lock pick from the recesses of his coat.

"Don't worry, I'll have y' out o' dem in no time," he informed her gallantly, setting to work on releasing her right wrist. He probably should have asked Hank to leave the keys with him, but where would the fun in opening them that way be?

"Thanks," she whispered, and then there was the quiet click of the shackle falling open. She shook her hand for a moment, trying to get the blood flowing again, but then cringed and quickly brought it up to her temple.

"Y'r head still hurtin'?" he questioned worriedly. "Want some aspirin?"

But when her head shot up to pin him with her gaze, blue pupils were where green should have been. "_Merde_!" he shouted, but he didn't react fast enough to evade the arm thrust out towards him.

Grabbing the collar of his shirt, she hauled him up to her face and hissed, "You're the one who's going to need aspirin once I'm through with you!"

The thief was severely shaken, but he managed to collect himself and calmly ordered, "Carol, put me down. Y' have t' stop dis, henh?"

She cocked her head to the side, as if she were actually taking his suggestion under advisement, but then she smirked. "Oh, I'll put you down, all right…" And with one hand, she hauled him up and tossed him over her bed, sending him crashing into the wall clear across the room.

He slammed into it hard, the impact jarring his bones, which received a further jolt when he slid down and collapsed onto the floor. Swearing colourfully under his breath, Remy took a moment to collect himself before painfully forcing himself to his knees, then grabbing hold of a nearby bed to help haul himself back onto his feet. Stumbling back towards the girl, he saw her using her free arm to tug at the other metal restraints that bound her.

"Let me out of these!" she screamed, frustrated at her ineffective efforts to get free.

"De only way dey're comin' off is if y' get back in Rogue's head, where y' belong!" he informed her contemptuously, crossing his arms.

"I don't belong there!" Carol hollered, thrashing about wildly. "I refuse to be trapped there anymore, like I'm some prisoner! I don't deserve to be treated like this!"

He laughed sardonically, shaking his head. "Oh, don't get me started on what y' deserve, _belle_…"

"Don't call me that!" she screeched, but before she could continue on her tirade, a look of anguish passed over her face. She closed her eyes, her features contorting in pain before suddenly relaxing.

Her eyes then opened, and through her half-lidded stare he could tell that once again they were green. "Rogue!" he exclaimed, rushing over, trying to ignore the protests of his aching limbs.

"She ain't givin' up," she muttered weakly.

"Y' can't either," he implored her, clutching her hand in his and hoping it would give her some reassurance. "Y're de most stubborn _fille_ I've ever met – don't let her win dis, _chère_!"

Rogue started to say something else, but was cut off by another blast of pain. She squeezed his hand so tightly that he thought bones would break, and while he didn't want to let go, he knew he had to. Wrenching free from her, he stepped away right in time to avoid another swipe by Carol.

"Damn it!" she cursed, seemingly disoriented at first but quickly renewing her attack on the bindings that held her in place.

"Stop dis already, Carol!" Remy hollered at her. "Can't y' see dis is pointless? Y're not goin' t' win dis!"

"No!" she roared, tugging the manacle that held her left wrist with all her might, and to Gambit's horror, the part of the bed it was attached to ripped away under her immense strength.

He didn't want to withdraw his attention from her for an instant, but he didn't have much of a choice. Dashing over to the doors, he stuck out his head and anxiously called down the hallway, "Uh, _Professeur_? Beast? We have a problem here, y' might want t' hurry!"

Then he rushed back inside the lab, only to see the girl now working on releasing her legs. If she had been able to free herself from one of the restraints, the others probably wouldn't hold for much longer, he guessed – and unfortunately, he was right. She yanked on one with both hands, the force cracking the lower part of the bed, but also knocking it off balance. It tilted precariously and then crashed onto its side, and with her left leg still in shackles, it dragged Carol down with it.

Before she could rise, the two teachers came rushing into the room. "Oh my stars and garters!" Hank proclaimed. "What is going on here?"

"Rogue an' Carol keep switchin' back an' forth," Remy quickly explained, and as if to demonstrate, Rogue chose that moment to fight back.

Carol clutched at her head, and the next instant control over Rogue's body had returned to its rightful owner. "What th' hell?" she wondered groggily, taking in her sprawled out position on the floor in confusion.

Xavier wheeled over to her immediately. "Rogue, quickly, can you tell us what is happening?"

"Ah don't know!" she cried, flustered and distracted, no doubt from the cacophony in her mind. "Every few seconds there's pain, an' Carol drags me under… It takes me a bit to regroup an' then Ah can usually bring myself back, but she's just so strong!"

"Can't y' do anythin'?" Remy pleaded, hating to see her like this. It was like a bad horror movie, complete with demonic possession…

Before the Professor could reply, Rogue shuddered. Recognizing the warning signs, the Cajun grabbed the telepath's wheelchair and pulled him out of the way, an instant before Carol returned and lashed out, flailing around violently.

"Carol!" the man bellowed, "Stop this at once! This is your final warning!"

"No, I won't stop!" she howled, fighting as Beast came up behind her and attempted to subdue her himself. Despite his considerable strength he was no match for her powers, and soon she had sent him tumbling backwards. "I want to live my life, what's so wrong with that? And since I can't have my own, Rogue's will just have to do!"

She reached down to shatter the last adamantium binding attached to her ankle, when Xavier quietly pronounced, "That is enough."

The next second, she collapsed.

Although he had seen that same display multiple times over the past few weeks, it was still distressing. Nevertheless, Remy couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief along with the other two men. Walking around the debris, he then gently picked up the unconscious Rogue and placed her carefully into another bed. Then turning to stare at the Professor unhappily, he acerbically queried, "Now what? More waitin'?"

Dr. McCoy moved beside him, checking over Rogue with a vexed expression on his blue visage. "Charles, something simply must be done! We cannot let this situation continue on like this. At this rate _neither_ girl will be able to live her life!"

The older man sighed despairingly, before bowing his head. "I agree. Something must indeed be done… I'm afraid we will have no choice but to resort to drastic measures."

- X -

_**A few days later…**_

Remy smarted all over, a combination of sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair by Rogue's bedside and the strenuous Danger Room sessions Logan continued to force him to run (one of the man's methods for working out his frustration – along with his nightly drinking binges and bar brawls). Getting up to stretch, the Cajun rotated his head around, hearing his neck crack before moving away to stroll around the med lab.

He was developing cabin fever, and desperately craved a smoke, but didn't dare leave. Carol continued to battle Rogue for dominance, with one gaining control but then the other swiftly reclaiming it – and with no certainties about just who would be there at any given time the thief was afraid to leave, fearful he would miss the short moments when Rogue returned.

But even when she was back, things were far from fine. One second she would be talking to him in her sweet Southern twang, the next she would be sneering at him in a Bostonian accent. The process of the girls switching was occurring much more rapidly now, with emerald and azure eyes instantly melting into each other so quickly that sometimes it took Remy a few seconds to clue in that the girl he had been talking to was no longer there.

However, the duration of the switches seemed to be lasting longer as well. During Rogue's lucid moments she had told him that Carol's strength seemed to be fading, as she took more time to yank her back into unconsciousness. Remy had at first interpreted that as a positive sign, but then realized that it worked both ways – Carol's command of the body was also extending as Rogue too grew exhausted.

They never ceased in their battle, the Professor hypothesized, which was why they were both tiring. When Carol was in control then Rogue was striving to regain it from her, and when Rogue was in control then Carol was doing the same. There were also long periods of time when Rogue's body showed no activity whatsoever, laying completely inert as if she were merely sleeping – yet the electrodes Dr. McCoy had monitoring her proved that wasn't the case. Increased brain activity indicated something was occurring, most likely them duking it out on the mental plane. With them being evenly matched, neither was able to take the reins and so her body simply remained still.

While Remy hated to behold Rogue like that, so lifeless and pale in her hospital robe, a part of him had to admit it was preferable over witnessing the tug-of-war going on inside of her instead. The others probably felt the same way. Rogue had a steady score of visitors, such as Logan and Kurt and Kitty, but only being able to get through a few minutes of conversation with her before she was ripped away was disturbing to them, and the Cajun couldn't blame them for not wanting to see that too often. At least now, with Rogue's ruling periods becoming longer, they were able to properly offer their comfort and support.

And as the thief thought about them, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler walked in through the door. They both paused tentatively, glancing over to the occupied bed where Rogue's body rested.

"Is… Is it her, or Carol?" Kitty whispered cautiously, looking hesitant to proceed any further. Remy understood completely. Some of the things Carol had spat at them when she'd surfaced in their presence… Well, they weren't things that bore repeating.

"She's restin' right now," he replied quietly, making his way over to them. When he noticed the expressions of disappointment on both their faces, he couldn't help but add, "But she can pro'ly still hear y', if y' wanted t' talk t' her…"

At that, Kurt straightened up hopefully, but still peered at him with apparent distrust. "You think so?"

"Can't hurt, henh?"

Perhaps that nonchalant attitude hadn't been the best thing to adopt in front of the worn-out brother that already blamed him. It only prompted him to glare, but at least he moved past Gambit without confrontation and took up in his chair, leaning over Rogue and murmuring hushed German words to her prone form.

"He's still pissed at me," Remy sighed, more as a statement than a question, but Kitty answered anyway.

"Yup," she confirmed, somewhat apologetically, tucking a strand of her chin-length hair behind her ear. "I've tried to bring him around… I keep pointing out that you don't want any harm to come to Rogue, and that you're, like, practically living down here now… But he doesn't really listen when I say that kind of stuff."

"Can't say I blame him, _petite_," he shrugged. "He's only worried about her."

Kitty nodded in sombre agreement. "We all are."

They then watched in solemn silence as the fuzzy blue mutant continued to offer support and prayers at his sister's side. After a while Kitty went over and attempted talking to her too, even though Remy could tell it upset her that her friend couldn't answer back. Eventually the pair said their goodbyes and left Remy to his watch once again.

It was over an hour (and numerous games of Solitaire) later when Rogue finally moved. First it was a gentle fluttering of her eyelids, then a twitch and jerk of her hands, once again held down with adamantium restraints – restraints that were now more heavily reinforced.

Remy leapt up, standing over her and peering down intently. His hopes were dashed yet again (which seemed to happen on a cyclical basis) when cold blue eyes stared back at him. He didn't bother saying anything, throwing himself back down onto his chair with a huff.

"Wow, nice to see you too," Carol rasped sarcastically, before clearing her throat and experimentally tugging against her bindings.

He scowled at her. "Y' just don't give up, do y'?"

"I'm fighting for my _life_ here!" she pointed out in annoyance. "That's sort of a big deal, don't you think? More important than your pathetic little romance, at any rate."

"De only pathetic romance was de one I had wit' _you_," he shot back spitefully, taking perverse pleasure in the way her face briefly twisted in a flash of hurt.

She hid it as best she could, adopting a superior tone and loftily declaring, "As if your quote-unquote _relationship_ with Rogue could even go anywhere! You'll dump her in no time, like you did with me – sooner, probably, since she can't even touch, and you're fooling yourself if you think she ever will!"

Remy gazed at the girl for a second and retorted in a cool, composed tone that he knew would annoy her to no end. "I t'ink deep down y' know dat's not true – an' it must eat y' up inside! T' know dat a girl y' claim is beneath y' in every way can captivate me, while y' failed…"

He was right – his words caused Carol to lunge against her shackles in a rage. "Shut up, shut up!" she shrieked furiously. "She won't be able to captivate you while I'm holding her captive – and there's no way I'm letting her win this, damn it!"

"_I'm_ not lettin' _you_ win dis," he corrected her fiercely, standing up once more to glower down at her, letting her see his complete seriousness. "Wit' any luck y'll be wiped clean away an' we won't have t' deal wit' y' at all!"

"That'll never happen!" she swore, but he could see a glimmer of fear in her. The next instant it was gone, replaced by smugness. "You pretend to be all noble, but could you really live with that? With knowing you killed somebody just to be with your precious Rogue?"

The thief scoffed and shook his head. "I never claimed t' be noble, an' y'r guilt-trip won't work on me. Any sympathy I had f'r y' is _long_ gone."

And with that said he walked away, not able to stand hearing her grating voice any longer.

"Where are you going?" she demanded, struggling some more. "Get back here! Let me go!"

He ignored her, exiting the room to pace the hallway outside. He wanted to get away from her but didn't dare go far, knowing that Rogue would probably take her turn soon. This way the thick glass doors could shield his ears from Carol's whining and threats, but he'd be able to keep watch over her – just in case.

It felt good to stretch his legs out, and a few minutes of marching back and forth did wonders in reducing some of the frustrated energy that had been slowly bubbling within him. Peeping inside the sick bay as he strode by, he could see Carol still pressing against her bonds. It could have been either girl, but it was the grimace on her face that gave away her true identity – he had seen Rogue display some truly threatening and sour countenances, especially when furious, but there was something uniquely unpleasant about the sneers Carol could contort.

Turning away, the Cajun stopped in his tracks when he noticed the Professor rolling down the hall in his direction – but more importantly, he noticed an expression of triumph on his face.

"Remy! Is Rogue awake? I must speak to her immediately!" he called out, without preamble.

Gambit was instantly intrigued. "_Non_, Carol's up now. But what's dis about?"

Braking in front of the door, the man contemplated him for a moment, as if debating whether or not to impart his news. Eventually he decided to divulge, "I believe I have found a solution to one of our problems – yet ironically, not the more pressing matter."

"Meanin'?"

"I am fairly certain that I know how Carol can touch."

Those words made his body freeze while exciting his heart so much that it felt like it would burst out of his chest. Could it be possible? Would they really be able to help her fight the curse that had plagued her for years? Remy couldn't stop himself from imagining the joyful look on her face when he told her the news, or better yet, when she first touched somebody (preferably him – or was that too much to hope for at this point?)…

But he was getting ahead of himself. "How?" he inquired urgently.

Xavier raised an eyebrow at him. "I appreciate that this information might…" He paused, deliberating over what to say, and then slowly continued, "Might impact you directly, yet I feel it should be Rogue who hears it first."

He blinked, then bowed his head. "O' course. I t'ink she'll be comin' back soon…"

"Very well, then I suppose we should wait."

And so they did, silently staring in through the thick pane of glass at Carol, who clearly didn't appreciate being observed like some caged animal in a zoo. However, a few minutes later her thrashing slowed, and then finally ceased after her face crinkled in pain. Well versed in what that action meant by now, Remy rushed into the room, with the Professor following.

"_Chère_!" the Cajun cried, reinstalling himself in his spot by her side. "How are y'?"

"Yah keep askin' me that, an' my answer's always th' same," she told him archly, but most of the effect was lost due to how fragile her voice sounded.

"Well, we've got some good news f'r y'," he told her eagerly, gripping her hand.

She squeezed back tightly, and the gesture nearly broke his heart. With the way she clung to him each time she returned, it seemed like she'd forgiven him for keeping Carol's secret of being able to touch – or had at least moved beyond it. While that should have pleased him, it only served to worry him more. He knew that by all rights she should still have been furious with him – the fact that she wasn't, that she was too weak to exert the energy to hold a grudge, that she was scared enough about what was happening to her to seek out his comfort instead of being scornful to him, was a true indicator of how dire the situation was.

But maybe, if whatever Xavier was about to tell her was as good as he was hoping, it would help. Surely letting Rogue know that she might be able to rein in her powers would provide even more incentive for staying strong in her deadlocked battle against Carol…

So he looked down at her with a grin and revealed, "De _Professeur_ may have found how Carol controlled y'r powers."

The look on her face was better than he could have imagined, filled with shock and disbelief but also with unabashed hope. She sat in stunned silence for many seconds before finding the presence of mind to incredulously wonder, "How?"

The telepath smiled gently at her, folding his hands in his lap as he began to explain. "After considerable brainstorming, Dr. McCoy and I believe the answers rest with the psyches. While you are in your mental facsimile of the mansion, you keep them occupied, yes? Thus they are not clamouring for energy to absorb when Carol touches somebody. Conversely, when Carol is in your mind, she does not keep the psyches locked away as you do – perhaps she first discovered this by accident, but most likely continued to do so on purpose," he suspected.

"The door!" Rogue gasped in sudden comprehension. "Whenever Ah switched, th' door to th' mansion was always open! Ah kept tellin' her to make sure th' psyches didn't get out, but she acted like it didn't matter…"

"It matters a great deal," Xavier said. "This also clarifies the differences I experienced when attempting to read both of your minds. Rogue, you were difficult to read because Carol let the psyches roam free at the forefront of your mind, thus preventing me from entering. Then when I attempted to find you in Carol's mind, they were all with you in the mansion, surrounding you and blocking your signature."

"So what does this mean?" she asked excitedly, and Remy found himself equally as enthusiastic. "If yah keep th' psyches contained while Ah'm in control, Ah'll be able to touch?"

"Theoretically, yes," the man nodded, but then seemed reluctant to add, "Although Carol may continue to be a problem in that scenario, on top of the issues she is already causing now."

"Den we have t' do somethin' about dat!" Remy burst out, his limited patience with the situation having dwindled down to nothing. He didn't mean to gloss over a solution to one of Rogue's troubles – how must it feel to be a prisoner in your own body and then finally receive word that you could be freed? – but the fact remained that she was still a prisoner in another sense. Her being able to touch would do no good unless she could actually be in control of her body without interruptions, so she would be able to have the chance to do so!

Both he and Rogue looked towards Xavier inquisitively, who then haltingly announced, "I'm afraid I only see one possible solution. I think it is safe to say that negotiations with Carol have irrevocably failed – thus we must either permanently imprison her in your mind, or extract her completely. I recommend the former, as I am unaware what the effects of attempting to separate you two would be."

The thief had absolutely no problem with either of those options, but Rogue stared up at the Headmaster with guilt-ridden eyes. "Are yah sure it's come down to that? There ain't anythin' else we can do?"

The psychic shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I appreciate that this is a difficult choice for you –"

"It's an impossible choice!" she interrupted him. "Either way Ah'm basically killin' her again! Ah feel awful enough about that already, an' now yah wanna make me go through that again? It ain't right!"

"An' what she's doin' to y' is?" Remy retorted incredulously, reaching over to place a hand on her shoulder. "_Chère_, I know y' feel badly about what happened, but de past is de past – lettin' y'r own life go t' hell won't change it! An' after what she's done, I t'ink it's pretty fair t' say dat Carol doesn't deserve another chance!" He held her stubborn gaze throughout his entire declaration, trying to convey how entirely serious he was about it. This was it, the moment of truth – he simply _had_ to convince her now!

Rogue opened her mouth to retort, and her contrary look informed him that she was going to argue. His heart sank at that, but before she could open her mouth the Professor began to speak. "Remy, you brought up some very good points. However, do you mind if I ask you to step out into the corridor for a moment? There are some things I feel I need to discuss with Rogue, and they must be in private."

At first, Gambit was slightly confused at the man's request. What could he have to say to sway Rogue that he hadn't tried already? And why couldn't he be there for it? Unless it was about him… Which made him uneasy. But what else could he do? Reluctantly, he agreed. "Okay… I'll be in de hall den." Giving Rogue's hand a firm squeeze, he left the med bay.

Once out of the room, he leaned against the opposite wall and peered in through the door, watching as the telepath conversed with the Mississippian. He had no clue as to what was being said, but judging from the determined expression on Xavier's face and the frustrated one on Rogue's, combined with their enthusiastic gesturing, it was a solid guess that they were arguing heatedly.

It continued on for what seemed like forever to the Cajun, but in reality was only about ten minutes. Throughout their exchange Rogue's features shifted from resolute to unsure, and finally to a sad, regretful look. It made his heart seize in fear – what sort of solution could make her seem so resigned?

He almost didn't want to find out, especially after the Professor quickly wheeled outside and with a sorrowful face said, "It's decided. I'll give you two some privacy before we begin so that you may say your goodbyes…"

"Goodbyes?" he echoed with a tinge of distress, then quickly strode over to Rogue, who had been released from her restraints and was sitting up in the bed. Sticking a confident smile on, he sat beside her and asserted, "Oh _chère_, dere's no need f'r goodbyes! Dis'll go smoothly, I promise, an' I'll be right here when it's all over."

She tried to smile bravely in return, but it faltered. "Ah… Ah'd really feel better if we said 'em, though."

"Why?" he frowned, a nagging tickle forming in the back of his mind. He tried to ease it by smirking, "Y' lookin' f'r an excuse t' get a kiss out o' me?" but that playful jibe did nothing to alleviate his sudden surge of anxiety.

"Maybe," she smirked back, but it was weak. He could easily discern she was lying from her nervous tics, but even if he hadn't noticed that, then the fact that she was for once ignoring her powers would have tipped him off. Something wasn't right…

Remy shifted uneasily. "Rogue, what's de matter?"

"Nothin'!" she denied quickly. _Too_ quickly. "Ah just… What's wrong with gettin' a kiss before Ah go?"

"Y're talkin' like y're never comin' back!" he exclaimed, and he had only meant it as an exaggeration, but her eyes had widened and fearfully flickered away from him when he said it.

His stomach dropped straight through to the floor.

"_Chère_… What did y' decide? Y' are lockin' Carol up, aren't y'?" he asked warily, absolutely dreading the answer, because he was fairly sure he already knew what it was.

The girl wilted, unable to look at him when she replied. "Ah… Ah can't do it. Ah can't just throw her life away like that."

"So y'll throw y'rs away instead?" he yelled, tightly grabbing her hands in his as he began to panic.

No, no, this couldn't be happening… Carol was supposed to be the one getting ousted, not Rogue! This was supposed to be the solution to all their problems, Rogue finally being restored to her body once more – not relinquishing all control to the girl who ruined her life! It was impossible… She couldn't honestly be considering going through with it! Yet that would explain why she wanted to kiss him, so she could absorb him and have his psyche keep her company while trapped in her head…

But that wasn't how this was supposed to go – Rogue wasn't the one who deserved to be shut away! He wanted to be with her here in reality, not as a mere shade of himself in some fraudulent copy of the real world…

He couldn't let her do it. He _refused_ to help her do it, and he told her so.

"Remy, please?" she begged him, pleading with those gorgeous green eyes that he'd always been hard-pressed to refuse. "This is th' only way!"

"_Non_, it's not!" he cried back obstinately, his hands finding her shoulders and forcing her to turn towards him. "How can y' just give up like dis? It ain't like y'!"

She smiled at him sadly, tears pooling in her eyes as she shook her head. "Ah have to do this. It's for th' best…"

"How can dat be? Why are y' goin' t' stop fightin'?" He couldn't understand it, he couldn't comprehend why suddenly she was simply giving up.

"We can't keep it up fo'ever," Rogue pointed out jadedly, before fixing him with a piercing gaze. "Trust me, okay? It has to be like this. Ah won't be able to live with myself any other way."

"I won't accept dat!" he shouted, going so far as to shake her by the shoulders in his panic. "Y' can't end t'ings now, when we've finally got a chance t' really start somethin' between us!" After the hell he'd gone through for her, it _couldn't _finish like this…

The girl bit her lip at that, and shamefully whispered, "Ah know, an' Ah'm so sorry fo' that…" She paused, debating with herself whether to speak further, before stuttering out, "Ah– Ah was scared. Ah pushed yah away an' now Ah wish Ah hadn't, because at least we would've had more time together…"

"We can have time together now!" he insisted, not caring one iota about how wholly desperate he sounded. "Y' don't have t' do dis!"

"Ah'm so sorry," Rogue breathed out once more, a tear escaping and rolling down her cheek, before shooting out a hand and grabbing his collar, yanking him towards her. Before he could react, she was kissing him.

For the past few months, he'd dreamt of nothing else. He could only imagine what it would be like to actually feel her lips caressing his… And for an instant it was complete and utter bliss, with her soft mouth pressing firmly against his, and his instincts prompting him to respond enthusiastically.

Then he realized it was all wrong.

Remy tried to push away from her, but with the strength she had at her disposal his attempts were in vain. He couldn't let her do it, he wouldn't let her sacrifice herself… But it appeared he didn't have much of a choice anymore. He was rapidly weakening, her powers instantly taking effect and leeching the life out of him. The Cajun had often wondered what it would be like for her to absorb him, and now he had his answer – it _hurt_. It felt like all his nerve endings had been roused, and they simultaneously began to throb and burn… The pain didn't last for long though, because after a few seconds of his energy being siphoned off it became hard to feel anything at all.

Did it hurt all the more because the physical was coupled with the emotional, with Rogue doing this against his will as she prepared to seal herself off from him? He didn't know, but he didn't even have time to contemplate it, because his world rapidly faded to black.

* * *

Oh dear… She didn't, did she?

**Next chapter** – the dramatic finale of _Symbiotic_! We see the aftermath of Rogue's decision…

There you have it, the moment of truth! Next chapter's the last one, so if you all want to make your guesses/pleas/threats regarding how you hope this'll end, now's the last chance to do so! And yes, I do take bribes – cash, cheques, and credit cards are all accepted. ;)

And remember, my goal is still to reach 1000 reviews. It might seem like a pipedream, but if I get the same amount that I did for last chapter then that'll bring us into the home stretch! It'll only take a few seconds, all you have to do is mosey on down to click on that little button there and leave me a few words… We can do it, I know it!

Toodles,

– ish –


	33. Disbelief

**Disclaimer:** Once more, for old time's sake – I don't own the X-Men!

**A/N:** May we have a drum roll please? Here it is, folks – now, let's just pause for dramatic effect – the final chapter of _Symbiotic_!

* * *

**Symbiotic**

**Chapter 33 – Disbelief**

_**April 2006**_

Slowly but steadily she was waking up, yet for some reason found it very hard to open her eyes. She felt exhausted, but managed to shift around a bit… Finally her eyelids fluttered before opening to provide her with a bleary view of the med bay. For a brief moment she was confused, then quickly remembered what she was doing there. She groaned quietly, fed up with waking up to that sterile environment, from the harsh fluorescent lights to the nauseating smell of disinfectants.

Then there was another constant – slowly sitting up and swinging her legs off the bed, she watched as Remy leapt out of the chair beside her. She had to stop herself from laughing out loud at how stunned he appeared.

"Y'… Y're really back?"

She hopped down to the floor and leisurely began to stretch. Oh, it felt good to get those kinks out, especially after being shackled for so long… While she accustomed herself to her body once more, she exasperatedly exclaimed, "Do we have to go through this again?" Sighing in vexation, she decided she was fed up with trying to explain herself to him after what had to have been a million times. "Whatever… All I can say is that you better get used to it, hon, because I'm here to stay."

Carol watched the anger on his face morph into wariness and knew that he didn't fully believe her – or more specifically, that he didn't _want _to believe her. "Y' can't be serious," he said flatly.

Oh, she would enjoy this… "It's time to face facts, Remy," she told him haughtily, leaning in towards him with a cruel smile gracing her features. "Rogue's locked away up here –" She tapped her temple. "– and I don't plan on letting her out, ever! It's finally quiet – no shouting, no yelling… I warned her that if she fought me she'd lose, and gee, guess what? She did."

Now the Cajun's handsome face was completely crestfallen. She'd come to enjoy that look over the past few weeks… And he deserved it, after all the crap he'd put her through!

Then she gasped, shocked as he suddenly darted forward and seized her firmly by the shoulders. "Y're lyin'!" he insisted, his demonic eyes burning with an intensity she'd never seen before. "Dat's not possible! Bring her back, _now_."

Quickly recovering, her lips twisted into a superior smirk and she couldn't help the smug tone that seeped into her voice. "Rogue's gone – for good." Oh, that was _so_ very satisfying to say…

But Gambit still didn't seem to accept it. Now shaking her, he cried, "_Non_! She wouldn't just give up like dis!"

"Well, she _did_," Carol shot back, throwing his hands away from her. "You obviously shouldn't have fallen for somebody with such a martyr complex!"

Remy didn't back off, shouting, "How can y' treat her like dis? She was willin' t' give up part of her life so y' could live, an' y' go an' steal it all away from her!"

"A thief, lecturing _me_ about stealing? Oh, that's rich," she scoffed, folding her arms over her chest.

He was _really _beginning to bother her… Not only was he a hypocrite, but his single-minded focus on Rogue was annoying. Why couldn't he have been so passionate about _her_? No, instead it was all about the goth girl. No matter what she did, no matter where she went, it was always Rogue, Rogue, Rogue! Well, no more. Everybody would simply have to get used to the fact that Rogue was gone and Carol was here to stay. She was certain they'd become accustomed to it sooner or later, and eventually even forget the other girl's name…

And that was that. She didn't want to listen to any more of the boy's whining and complaining – it was finally time to get out of the horrid med bay and start living her new life! So shoving past Remy, she exited the room to make her way upstairs. The first thing she had to do was get out of the hideous hospital gown she was in – that shade of light blue did nothing for her complexion.

But she should have known that Gambit would keep following her. Honestly, did he ever give up? He should have taken a page from Rogue's book and learned to finally surrender when beaten... Before she could rush off and leave him behind, he scrambled over and blocked her path. "Stop," he ordered resolutely. "I'm not lettin' y' do dis!"

Carol only laughed. "Not letting me? Hon, it's already done!"

And with that, she grabbed the collar of that hideous coat of his (really, was he ever without it?) and lifted the Cajun easily, tossing him away and sending him skidding down the corridor. Then with a self-satisfied grin she flounced off, feeling quite chipper. Revenge was sweet… She hoped he felt as awful as she had when he'd broken up with her. It was funny how things managed to come around full circle, the girl mused – first Rogue had taken him away from her, and now she had taken Rogue away from him. Perhaps there was justice in the universe after all!

Carol's grin only grew wider as she moved through the rest of the mansion, passing a few other students on her way. They all stared at her in confusion and shock, but none had the guts to actually approach her. The best reaction was Kitty's, whose jaw dropped and eyes glistened with tears before she turned and ran off, that silly ponytail of hers swinging erratically behind her. It was a bit of a relief, actually – she'd been expecting some sort of long-winded speech from the brat about how what she was doing was wrong, how Rogue was such a saint, and so on and so forth. No doubt she'd have to suffer through it eventually, and probably more from all the teachers, but they would be easy enough to ignore.

She wasn't naive enough to think everybody wouldn't be angry with her, but they'd get over it soon enough. They wouldn't have much choice in the matter, would they? She sure as hell wasn't going anywhere. Or maybe she would! Why bother even staying at the Institute? Rogue wasn't tethering her there anymore, neither was Remy. She could leave and do whatever she wanted!

Tempting thoughts of ditching all the rules and disapproving glares and unsavory company flooded her mind, but when Carol reached her bedroom she glanced around and a new spur-of-the-moment idea then took precedence: redecorating. There would be no complaining or arguing about conflicting styles now that her roommate was finally dealt with… But there wouldn't be much point if she would be leaving Xavier's. Hell, maybe she'd do it anyway – just to be able to get rid of all Rogue's things, symbolically purging the room of her possessions like she had purged the girl from her life…

In fact, she wanted to eradicate every possible memory of her that she could. Maybe she would start by dyeing her hair blonde? She missed her old locks, and anything would be better than that stupid skunk streak…

Carol couldn't stop herself from giggling elatedly. She no longer had to worry about upsetting Rogue, or waking up in another month to find that whatever she'd done had been reversed… She was _free_! It was childish, but she felt like standing on her balcony and screaming it out to the world. She probably would have, but a brief glance out the windows told her it was extremely foggy outside, so much so that she couldn't see a thing. Well fine, that could wait. She had other things she could do, and couldn't even decide where to begin.

She actually enjoyed that feeling. The world was laid out at her feet, her problems were over at last! No more sharing, no more fighting… She had gotten what she wanted, what she _deserved_, and the freedom felt absolutely _wonderful_.

- X -

He had no idea why he was still sitting there, immovable, waiting for her to awaken. After all, Carol taking control was the absolute last thing he wanted to bear witness to…

At first, he supposed it could have been blamed on Rogue's powers. Once regaining consciousness following her absorption, he physically hadn't been able to move very far at all – his limbs felt like jelly, his vision swam, his heart ached… Well, perhaps that last one hadn't been due to her powers at all. But following that he'd been simply too shocked to move, too tangled in disbelief over what Rogue had done, and his legs had refused to work properly and march him away. He could only remain sitting stunned in his chair as the Professor had delved into her mind one last time, working on whatever final preparations needed to be made.

The man had attempted to offer his sincerest condolences, but Remy hadn't heard a word – he merely sat and stared. Thankfully Xavier had taken the hint, and after what had seemed like ages of him rearranging Rogue's mind, he had then left him alone to deal with his despair.

Needless to say, that hadn't gone well. He hadn't dealt with anything, really – he hadn't shed a single tear, he hadn't erupted in an inconsolable rage, all he could do was distraughtly hope against hope that everything that had just come to pass hadn't actually happened at all. He sat in desperate denial for what could have been hours, yet he didn't notice them passing. Time was irrelevant. He supposed it was all some sort of morbid fascination, not being able to leave until he saw Rogue's eyes open, with Carol staring back out from them… He just had to be sure.

And so he waited, numb.

It was about an hour later when finally, _finally_, she moved. It started out with her body shifting around a bit as sleep began to leave her. Next her eyelids fluttered and opened. A confused expression passed over her face before she groaned quietly, then slowly sat up and swung her legs off the bed.

Remy's heart began pumping rapidly, knowing that this was the fateful moment. The rest of him remained inert, as he was unable to summon up even an iota of motivation to move. What was the point? There was nothing more that could be done – and that resignation was eating him up inside.

However, he managed to dredge up the courage to lift his gaze slightly and glance at her, if only to confirm what deep down he already knew.

…But he saw green eyes.

It was like a million things happened at once. His heart leapt into his throat, his jaw dropped, his eyes widened… He had to have overloaded, because for a moment he was frozen, unable to so much as think. Instinct must have then taken over, because the very next instant the Cajun launched himself at the girl, gathering her up in his arms and squeezing her as hard as he could.

Sensations came flooding back as his mind reconnected with his body. He felt her warm form pressed against his, he smelt the aroma of magnolias that always wafted around her, he heard the soft sounds of her hitched breathing as she inhaled next to his ear… And yet he still couldn't bring himself to believe that she was truly there.

"_Chère_? Is it really y'?" he whispered tentatively, afraid to open his eyes and pull away from where his face was nestled in her hair, lest he find out his mind had played the cruellest of tricks on him.

It was only the next second, when he listened to her sweet drawl say, "Yeah, it's really me, swamp rat" did he finally let relief course through his body.

That was all he needed to hear. At those words all the worries and anxieties, all the events of the past few weeks fled from his mind, because suddenly all that mattered was that Rogue was back, and she was in his arms. Even better, she wasn't leaving them. Remy couldn't bring himself to move a muscle, because at that moment everything was perfect.

Things hardly tended to stay so perfect, however. Eventually something began to nag at him, and he reluctantly pulled back a few inches so that he could see her face. "How?" he had to ask, voice full of bewilderment.

She smiled crookedly, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's sort of hard to explain…" she began, before hesitating and bowing her head. "Ah guess Ah should start by apologizin' fo' absorbin' yah like that – but Ah had to!"

"But why?" he pressed. He wasn't concerned one whit about her having used her powers on him, especially if they had brought about such a wonderful resolution – instead he was dying to know how exactly said resolution had come about!

"Yah know when th' Prof talked to me in private? He was tryin' to convince me that lockin' Carol up in my mind was th' best thing to do."

"O' course it was!" Remy encouraged, sensing she needed reassurance regarding her decision. It was baffling that she could still feel guilty despite what the other girl had done to her… Tilting his head to the side, he remembered the conversation Rogue was referring to – he honestly hadn't thought Xavier would have been able to get through to her, and until now he'd certainly been under the impression that the man had indeed failed.

"Ah really didn't like that plan, an' honestly Ah still don't, but… Ah can see why it had to come down to that," she went on, eyes downcast, clearly not too comfortable with the topic of conversation. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze and she continued. "Ah hated her fo' what she put me through, yah know – but Ah just couldn't bring myself to take away th' only life she had left as revenge – wouldn't that make me as bad as her? She was gettin' back at me fo' what Ah did to her, an' Ah didn't want to be th' same way."

"Y're _not_ de same as her!" Gambit declared passionately, sliding a gloved finger under her chin and tilting it up so she would meet his gaze. "Y' gave her a chance – hell, y' gave her _tons_ o' chances – an' she wouldn't have done de same f'r y', would she? I admire y' tryin' t' do de right thing, _chère_, but sometimes y' have t' do somethin' f'r y'rself."

Her lips quirked a little at that. "Funny, th' Professor said sorta th' same thing."

He smirked. "Well, great minds think alike, henh?"

The girl rolled her eyes, and even though it was a trivial gesture, Remy swelled with happiness when he finally saw her do so again. It heralded back to weeks before, prior to all their drama with blondes and body-snatchers, when they would banter good-naturedly. Maybe they could recapture that feeling of how things used to be, with their comfort and camaraderie? Judging by the way Rogue playfully ignored him and continued on with her tale, that was a very real possibility.

"Anyway, Ah finally gave in. Didn't feel Ah had much of a choice, frankly – but Ah could at least make sure Carol would be somewhat comfortable when we locked her away."

When he heard that, the thief was surprised. Was _that_ what they'd been discussing? Why couldn't they have told him? It would have saved him from all his agony! He pointed that out, rather petulantly.

"We _couldn't_ tell yah," Rogue continued regretfully. "We tricked her into thinkin' she took control, but instead th' Prof stuck her in my mental representation of th' Institute, with th' psyches roleplayin' as real people. Ah had to absorb yah so yah'd be in there too, an' we couldn't let yah know what was goin' on so when yo' psyche interacts with her, he'll be furious!"

Remy blinked, trying to take that information in. "So… Y're sayin' dat Carol's trapped in yo' mental mansion, but she thinks she's taken over yo' body?"

She nodded solemnly.

"I almost wish I could see de look on her face when she figures out it's not real!" he laughed heartily, but his amusement was quickly quelled when he considered that statement. "But what'll happen when she does? It's bound t' happen eventually, _non_? Like if she tries t' leave de buildin'?" Dread slowly began to grow in his system. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer to his question – not if it would mean more bad news.

"Don't worry," the Mississippian reassured him, pulling him down on the bed to sit beside her. "Th' Professor already took care o' that. He stuck up some strong shields around her, an' he'll keep reinforcin' 'em – so even if she does realize where she is, she an' the psyches ain't goin' anywhere."

Remy let out a breath he hadn't even known he'd been holding. "So dat's it? It's really over?" It was almost too good to be true, to have all of their obstacles behind them now…

"Ah guess so," she nodded, smiling slightly.

She was doing her best to appear pleased, but the thief could tell something was still troubling her – but what? Shouldn't she have been ecstatic that her life was her own again? He decided to come straight out and ask.

"It's nothin'," she attempted to assure him, but he still didn't buy it.

Maybe seeing her friends would cheer her up? "Should we go find de others an' tell dem de good news? Kitty an' Kurt have been worried sick, an' Wolverine's been… Well, let's just say de Danger Room needs some renovations."

"Ah'll see 'em in a bit," she decided, biting her lip while contemplating something.

What had her so distracted? The Carol situation had been dealt with, seeing her friends wasn't what she wanted… What was left?

Oh – him, Remy realized with dread.

Was he the one making her question things? Similarly to the night before Carol had usurped control, doubts began to plague him. Rogue had only just come out of a harrowing ordeal, one that would be enough to throw even the strongest of people – who was to say she hadn't changed her mind about him in the meantime? Who was to say that she hadn't weighed everything she had been put through because of him, and decided that he wasn't worth it?

The rollercoaster ride of emotions the Cajun had experienced during the past few minutes was exhausting, and it wasn't over yet. At least now, with his misgivings at the forefront of his mind, things could only improve… Right? And indeed they did, as Rogue ducked her head and began to apologize, rather than reject him. "Ah kinda wanted to make up fo' what Ah did first. Ah can't understand how yah ain't mad at me fo' makin' yah believe I was leavin', an' fo' absorbin' yah like Ah did…"

Remy sat in stunned silence for a moment before coming to his senses. "Rogue, y' have nothin' t' make up f'r! Most o' dis mess was my fault in de first place," he told her in a sober tone. He saw she was still going to protest, so before she had the chance he reached over and cupped the side of her face with a gloved hand, playfully smirking, "B'sides, how could I be mad? I got a kiss out o' de deal! I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

She gave him a hopeful, but cautious, look. "Would yah?"

He nodded firmly. "Absolutely."

He had to admit, the way she was staring at him was slightly unnerving, as if she was delving deep inside of him and contemplating his very being. She must have seen something that helped her make a decision – because before Remy could begin to process what was happening, Rogue leaned over and pressed her lips to his.

He had to force himself not to jump backwards in shock. It wasn't because he was afraid of her – he hadn't lied when saying he'd risk her powers to touch her – but because it was absolutely the last thing he had expected. She _never_ initiated physical contact, and after the guilt she was expressing over having kissed him when it had been an absolutely necessity, the thief wouldn't have thought she'd be wiling to go through with it again, especially so quickly.

But that just meant this was something to take advantage of, so Remy quickly shut his thoughts off and focused entirely on the physical. His mouth responded to hers, caressing it fiercely while he ran his hands through her sleek hair, tangling his fingers in the strands and trying to push her even closer towards him. He wanted to experience as much as he could before the pain began, and he braced himself for it…

But it never came.

He was so caught up in making the most of the kiss, in feeling every last sensation, that he completely lost track of how much time had passed, not realizing that he should have been knocked unconscious long ago. It was finally the lack of air that threatened to do so, so they unwillingly pulled apart from each other. It was only then that Remy noticed he was still very much awake – even though what just occurred had to have been a dream.

He gaped at Rogue, totally speechless. She took the hint and shyly explained, "Th' Professor was right. Now that Carol's stuck in my mind, th' psyches are trapped with her – they aren't wanderin' around anymore, so they don't make me absorb anyone."

He almost couldn't accept what she was saying, because everything working out so perfectly like this had to be impossible. "So… So y' can touch?" he rasped out, still somewhat disbelieving.

In response, she brought a bare hand up to stroke his stubbly cheek. "Yeah, Ah can touch," she whispered, beaming while tears formed in her eyes.

Remy decided he hadn't really needed the confirmation at all. Barely hearing it, he instead swooped in for another kiss, pulling Rogue's body flush up against his while he ran a hand up and down her back. He was nearly undone when she was the one to deepen it, and he let loose a low, guttural moan when she began idly toying with the hairs at the base of his neck.

He managed to tear himself away from her long enough to playfully suggest, "Y' know, we should pro'ly should test y'r control some more – after all, it may be a fluke…"

"Oh, absolutely," she sighed in rapture as his mouth trailed over her jaw line and down her throat. "That would be… th' smart… thing to do…"

He simply couldn't get enough of her, of how she tasted… Apparently she couldn't either, because she yanked him away from a particularly ticklish spot he'd discovered beneath her ear and impatiently redirected him back to her lips.

Grinning against her, Remy eased his hands down to her hips and gently pulled her onto his lap. She tensed for a moment, prompting him to curse at himself for moving too quickly – this was still relatively new to her, after all, so he reluctantly broke their contact and queried, "Y' okay? Dis isn't too much?"

"This is what Ah've wanted fo' a while," she admitted, bashful and barely able to meet his gaze.

Her words made the corners of his lips twitch up. "Oh really?" he crowed, unable to keep from sounding smug.

"Yes, really," she grudgingly confirmed, before her tone lowered. "An' now that Ah can finally touch, Ah don't wanna waste th' chance. Ah still feel guilty about how this had to come about, but Ah guess Ah can't let my guilt run my life – yah were right about that."

He grinned. "What was dat? Sorry, I missed de last bit…"

"Ah said yah were right…" she repeated, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I really like hearin' dat. Say it again?"

Rogue scowled. "Oh, shut up!"

"Make me," he challenged.

To his pleasant surprise, she did – by quickly making herself more comfortable and capturing his mouth once more. They quickly continued on from where they had left off, losing themselves in each other completely.

The Cajun was just thinking that he could stay like that forever when the sound of a throat being cleared broke through their daze. Stopping abruptly, the pair broke apart and glanced towards the door.

Xavier was waiting there, wearing a rather amused expression. "I must confess, when I told Rogue that I would give you two some privacy for her to explain things, this was not what I had in mind," he informed them, raising a curious brow.

Rogue blushed furiously, her face flushing bright pink. "Er, Professor! We… Ah mean, Ah…"

"No need to say anything, my dear – clearly you two have yet to finish your… discussion," he said calmly, but a sparkle could be seen in his eyes before he wheeled around and made to leave. "Pardon me for interrupting. But may I just say that it's wonderful to have you back, Rogue – now I believe I will go inform the rest of the students that you have graced us with your presence again. Excuse me…"

They stared blankly as he exited the room, and then Rogue groaned in embarrassment before burying her head in Remy's shoulder. "Oh my Gawd, could that have been any more humiliatin'?"

"It could've been worse…"

"Oh yeah? How?" she challenged.

"Dat could've been Logan walkin' in on us," he pointed out, and shuddered for emphasis. "Don't think he would've let us go on wit' our 'discussion', henh? He would've gutted dis poor Cajun! Which he'll pro'ly do in a few minutes anyway."

"Well, then Ah guess we should finish this up, huh?" Rogue cooed, sending him a wink.

At that moment, Remy was certain that he could never get tired of that coy grin or that sultry voice. He had to know, right then and there, where they stood... Bracing himself, he masked his apprehension with mischievousness and asked, "Oh, so y' wouldn't have minded if y'r boyfriend got made int' shish kabobs?"

Thankfully, she picked up on what he was trying to get at right away. "My boyfriend?" she echoed.

No more hiding, no more games – it was time to be forthright. "_Oui_… At least, dat's what I was hopin' I'd be," he admitted, and then waited.

The next few seconds were somehow even worse than what he'd been through when Carol and Rogue were battling for control. For the life of him he wasn't able to guess what she was thinking, and that unnerved him to no end – but then she adopted a thoughtful air and tapped her chin. "Yah know, Ah think yah have to make things up to me first – after all, yah gave me a lot o' grief…"

He smirked, recognizing the teasing gleam in her eyes. "Oh yeah? Den name y'r price, _chère_ – what can I do f'r y'?"

"Well, I was thinkin' a few more kisses might do th' trick…"

He whistled (which he found was quite hard to do while attempting to suppress a grin) and shook his head in mock-disappointment. "_Merde_, y' drive a hard bargain!"

"Is that too much to ask, swamp rat?" she wondered flirtatiously.

"No, I t'ink I can handle it – especially since I was goin' t' say dat if _you _felt y' still had to make things up t' _me_, y' could do it de same way…"

"Well, nice to know that we're on th' same page," the Southern girl laughed, freer than he had ever heard her do before, as she leaned in to capture his lips once again.

Yes, at last they were on the same page… And with Rogue finally in his arms, Remy couldn't help but think that all the trials and tribulations they had endured on the way had been well worth it.

– _Fin_ –

* * *

Chapters? 33. Words? 217,000+. Months? 19. Reviews? 965 and counting. The feeling of finishing this huge piece of work? Priceless.

Well folks, there you have it. Gosh, my most epic undertaking yet, and it's finally over. Wow. I can't believe this turned out to be as long as it is… Whoever stuck around for the whole thing, or even if you only began to read it after it was completed, I've got to say I'm impressed! And of course, I hope you're all pleased with the conclusion. How's that for a happy ending? And for all those of you who thought I would leave Carol in control… Oh, ye of little faith! A few of you were actually spot-on with your guesses, but if I managed to fool others, then that pleases me greatly. Because I like to be sneaky like that… ;)

Anyhoo. I want to give a _huge_ thank-you to all my reviewers, whether you faithfully commented on every single chapter or will just leave me a few words after finishing the whole story – either way, your comments always make my day! It means a lot to me that you liked my fic enough to take the time to type me a message.

Now, for all of you wondering what's next, well… A bit of a break, I think. Then there are a few plot bunnies bopping about my brain, so I'll try to churn out some shorter pieces. After all that, another long fic! Red Wings and I have been painstakingly developing the plot of a Guild-related fic, tentatively tiled _Oblique_. Don't know when I'll begin writing, but keep an eye out for that eventually!

So! That's that. I really hope I managed to weave an enjoyable yarn for you all – but let me know! Leave me a review, help me break the one thousand mark, and tell me how you liked the fic! Thanks in advance, loyal ishandahalfarianites – don't know where I'd be without you. :)

Toodles,

– ish –


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